AMANJOT SINGH CHADHA versus UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

Citation: [2025] 9 S.C.R. 1075 · Decided: 04-09-2025 · Supreme Court of India · Bench: VIKRAM NATH, SANDEEP MEHTA · Disposal: Disposed off

Judgment (excerpt)

[2025] 9 S.C.R. 1075 : 2025 INSC 1127
Amanjot Singh Chadha 
v. 
Union of India & Ors.
(Writ Petition (Civil) No. 911 of 2022)
04 September 2025
[Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, JJ.]
Issue for Consideration
Whether this Court should, in exercise of its jurisdiction u/Art.32 
of the Constitution of India, secure the effective implementation of 
s.6 of the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 by directing time-bound rule-
making and, until such rules are notified, ensuring that marriages 
solemnised by Anand Karaj are received for registration under the 
existing statutory arrangements without discrimination.
Headnotes†
Anand Marriage Act, 1909 – s.6 – Effective implementation of 
s.6 – General directions to all respondent States and Union 
Territories:
Held: i) Every respondent that has not yet notified rules u/s. 6 of the 
Act shall do so within four months from today – The rules shall be 
published in the Official Gazette and laid before the State Legislature 
in terms of s.6(4) of the Act; ii) With immediate effect and until such 
rules are notified, each respondent shall ensure that marriages 
solemnised by Anand Karaj are received for registration under the 
prevailing marriage registration framework without discrimination – 
Where the parties so request, the registering authority shall record 
in the certificate that the marriage was solemnised by the Anand 
Karaj rite; iii) Respondents that have already notified rules u/s. 6 of 
the Act shall continue to operate them – Within three months, they 
shall issue a clarificatory circular to all registering authorities and 
publish on the official portal the applicable forms, fees, documents 
required, and timelines, and shall ensure availability of certified 
extracts in terms of s.6(2) of the Act; (iv) Every respondent shall 
designate a Secretary-level Nodal Officer to oversee compliance 
with this order, to issue any consequential administrative directions 
and address any grievances; (v) The Respondent no.1, Union of 
India, shall act as the coordinating authority – It shall circulate 
model rules compiled from jurisdictions that have already notified 
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[2025] 9 S.C.R.
Supreme Court Reports
s.6 rules to any State or Union Territory that seeks guidance; (vi) 
Moreover, it is made clear that no application for registration of 
an Anand Karaj marriage or for a certified extract shall be refused 
on the sole ground that rules u/s. 6 of the Act have not yet been 
notified – Any refusal shall be reasoned in writing and shall remain 
amenable to remedies in law. [Para 12]
Anand Marriage Act, 1909 – s.6 – Goa, Daman and Diu 
(Administration) Act, 1962 – Specific directions for respondent 
no.17, State of Goa:
Held: i) As an interim measure, the State shall ensure that all Civil 
Registration Offices receive and process, without discrimination, 
applications for registration of marriages solemnised by Anand 
Karaj under the existing civil registration framework; (ii) The Union 
of India shall issue an appropriate notification u/s. 6 of the Goa, 
Daman and Diu (Administration) Act, 1962 extending the Anand 
Marriage Act, 1909 to the State of Goa; (iii) Upon such extension, 
the State of Goa shall frame and notify rules u/s. 6 of the Act within 
four months of the Union’s notification, publish them in the Official 
Gazette, and issue a circular to all Civil Registrars for immediate 
implementation; (iv) It is needless to say that the general directions 
shall apply to the State of Goa mutatis mutandis. [Para 13]
Constitution of India – Art. 371F(n) – Anand Marriage Act, 
1909 – s.6 – Specific directions for respondent no.14, State 
of Sikkim:
Held: i) As an interim measure, the State shall ensure that all 
registering authorities receive and process, without discrimination, 
applications for registration of marriages solemnised by Anand 
Karaj under the existing Rules to provide for registration and 
solemnization of a Form of Marriage in Sikkim (1963) – Where 
the parties so request, the register and the certificate shall record 
that the marriage was solemnised by the Anand Karaj rite; ii) 
The State shall issue a circular to all registering authorities 
clarifying the above, specifying the documents required and 
timelines for issuance of certificates, and ensuring availability of 
certified extracts in terms of the prevailing rules; iii) The Union 
of India shall consider and place before the competent authority 
a proposal for extension of the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 to the 
S

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