The National Commission for Minorities held a video conference meeting with 18 States/UTs to discuss the implementation and registration of marriages of Sikhs under Anand Marriage Act.
- Some of the States including Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Meghalaya reported implementation of the said Act in their respective States while Remaining States/UTs have assured to implement the Act within two months’ time.
Anand Marriage Act
- The emergence of the Anand Marriage Act dates back to 1909 when the British Imperial Legislative Council passed a legislation for the recognition of the Sikh wedding ceremony Anand Karaj.
- In 2012, the Parliament passed the Anand Marriage (Amendment) Bill, bringing Sikh traditional marriages under the purview of legal recognition.
- While the central government approved the amendments, it was left for individual states and Union territories to frame respective rules for the registration of Anand marriages.
- The Anand Karaj ceremony, meaning “act towards happiness” or “act towards happy life,” was introduced by Sikh Guru Amar Das, while the four laavaan (hymns) that form the core of the ceremony were composed by Guru Ram Das.
