The Punjab Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act, 2012

GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB 
 
DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS  
 
THE PUNJAB COMPULSORY REGISTRATION OF             
MARRIAGES ACT, 2012  
 
(PUNJAB ACT 1 OF 2013) 
(As amended upto the 15th June, 2025) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2025 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

THE PUNJAB COMPULSORY REGISTRATION OF             
MARRIAGES ACT, 2012  
 
Section                               CONTENTS 
1. Short title and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Every marriage to be registered 
4. Memorandum of Marriage 
5. Memorandum of Marriage submitted after the stipulated period 
6. Place of registration of marriage 
7. Appeal 
8. Non-registration not to invalidate marriage 
9. Chief Registrar of Marriages  
10. District Registrar of Marriages 
11. Registrar of Marriages  
12. Maintenance of marriage register  
13. Correction or cancellation of entry in the marriage register 
14. Search of marriage register 
15. Penalty 
16. Chief Registrar of Marriages, District Registrar of Marriages, 
Registrar of Marriages and other officers to be public servants  
17. Protection of actions taken in good faith 
18. Power of the State Government to make rules 
19. Provisions not to be derogatory to certain laws 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE PUNJAB COMPULSORY REGISTRATION OF             
MARRIAGES ACT, 2012  
(Punjab Act No. 1 of 2013) 
    [Received the assent of the Governor of Punjab on the 4th 
January, 201 3, and was first published for general information in 
the Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary),  Legislative 
Supplement, dated the 4th January, 2013.]  
1 2 3 4 
Year No. Short title Whether repealed or 
otherwise affected by 
the legislation  
2013 1 The Punjab 
Compulsory 
Registration of             
Marriages Act, 
2012  
 
 Amended by Punjab 
Act No. 34 of 2016 
 
An Act to provide for the compulsory registration of marriages   
solemnized under any law governing the parties irrespective of their 
religion, caste, creed or nationality and for the mattersconnected 
therewith or incidental thereto.  
BE it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the 
Sixty-third Year of the Republic of India as follows: - 
1.  (l)  This Act may be called the Punjab Compulsory      
Registration of Marriages Act, 2012.  
(2)   It shall come into force on such date, as the State   
Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint in 
this behalf.  
 
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, - 
(a)  "Chief Registrar of Marriages" means t he Chief    
Registrar of Marriages, appointed as such by the State   
Government under section 9;  
 (b)  "District Registrar of Marriages" means the District 
Registrar of Marriages, appointed as such by the State 
Government for a District under section 10;  
(c) “foreign national” means any person who is not a citizen 
Short title and  
Commencement. 
Definitions. 
of India and shall include Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) 
and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI); 
(d)  "marriage" means and includes a marriage, solemnized 
in the State of Punjab under any of the following Acts, 
customs or laws, namely: - 
(i)   the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872; (15 of 
1872); 
(ii)  the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 (7 of 1909);  
(iii)  the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application  
 Act, 1937 (26 of 1937); 
(iv)  the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (25 of 1955); or 
(v)  any other custom or personal law relating to     
marriages;  
(e)  "marriage register" means a register of marriages 
maintained under this Act;  
(f) “Municipality” means an institution of self -government 
constituted under article 243Q of the Constitution of 
India; 
(g) “Non-resident Indian” (NRI) means a person of Indian 
origin, who is either permanently or temporarily settled 
outside India for any of the following purposes, - 
(i) for or on taking up employment outside India; 
  or 
(ii) for carrying on a business or vocation outside 
India; or 
(iii) for any other purpose, as would indicate his/her 
intention in such circumstances to stay outside the 
territorial limits of India for a uncertain or 
determined period for fulfilling or completing 
such purpose; 
(h) “Panchayat” means an institution (by whatever name 
called) of self -government for the rural areas constituted 
under article 243B of the Constitution of India; 
(i)  "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this 
Act;  ,  
(j)  "Priest" means any person performing religious rites of 
any religion and who has solemnized the marriage, 
sought to be registered;  
(k)  "Registrar of Marriages" means a Registrar of Marriages 
appointed as such by the State Government under section 
11; and  
 (l)  "State Government" means the Government of the State 
of Punjab.  
 
3. 1 [On or after the commencement of this Act, every 
marriageexcept the marriage registered under the Anand Marriage 
Act, 1909,] 
 (i) between the parties, who are Indian nationals; or  
(ii) between the parties, one of whom at least is a citizen of 
India and other a non -resident Indian or a foreign 
national, 
solemnized or performed irrespective of religion, caste, creed or 
nationality, shall be registered in the manner as provided in section 4:  
 Provided that in case of any marriage, where one of the parties 
is non -resident Indi an or foreign national, it shall be mandatory for 
such parties to disclose and mention in writing, his/her passport 
number, name of country from which it has been issued and its period 
of validity,   besides his/her permanent residential/official address in the 
country of current overseas abode and his/her valid, present social 
security  number or any such similar other identification proof officially 
issued by the country of foreign abode, which information shall be 
entered in the certificate of marriage as also in the marriage register. 
 
                                                             
1Substituted for words “On or after the commencement of this Act, every marriage” by Punjab Act 
No.34 of 2016, Section 2 
Every Marriage 
to be registered. 
4.  (l)  The parties to a marriage or any of their parents or     
relations, shall prepare and sign a memorandum in such form, as may 
be prescribed, and shall present the same in duplicate to the Registrar 
of Marriages as per provisions of section 5, within a perio d of three 
months from the date of the marriage.  
(2)  The memorandum shall also be signed by the priest.  
(3)  The memorandum shall be accompanied by such fee in  
the form of court fee stamps and shall be attested by such person , as 
may be prescribed.  
(4)  Where the Registrar of Marriages, before whom the  
memorandum is presented under sub -section (1), on scrutiny finds  
or otherwise has reason to believe that, - 
(a)  the marriage between the parties, has not been performed 
in accordance with the person al law, applicable to the 
parties; or  
(b)  the identity of the parties of the witnesses or the persons, 
testifying the identity of the parties and the 
solemnization of the marriage is not established beyond 
reasonable doubt; or  
(c)  the documents attache d to the said memorandum do not 
prove the marital status of the parties,  
he may, after hearing the parties and recording the reasons to do so, 
in writing, refuse to register the marriage, and may-  
(i)  call upon the parties to produce such further inform ation 
or documents, as he may deem necessary for establishing 
the identity of the parties and the witnesses or 
correctness of the information or documents, presented 
to him or for any other reason specified in writing; or 
(ii)  if deemed necessary, refer t he relevant documents to the 
concerned Government agency within whose   
jurisdiction, the parties reside for verification.  
(5)  Where on scrutiny of documents presented to him o r on 
Memorandum of 
Marriage. 
further information as provided under sub -section (4), the   Registrar 
of Marriages is satisfied that there is no objection to register the 
marriage, he shall enter the same in the marriage register within the 
prescribed period. If in the opinion of the Registrar of Marriages, the 
marriage is not fit for registration, he shall pass an order of refusal, in 
writing, after recording the reasons thereforand send a copy thereof to 
the District Registrar of Marriages.  
(6)  Notwithstanding anything contained in sub -section (5) , 
the Registrar of Marriages either suo-moto or otherwise, may enter 
any marriage, which takes place in his jurisdiction in the marriage 
register, after calling the parties and ascertaining the facts, required 
for registration of marriage.  
(7)  The persons who have solemnized their marriages , 
before the date of commencement of this Act, may also get their 
marriages registered, if they or any of them, were residents o f the 
State of Punjab at the time of marriage, subject , however, to the 
provisions of this Act.  
(8)  If a marriage is already register ed outside the State o f 
Punjab, it shall not be registered again in the State of Punjab.  
 
5. (1) The memorandum of marriage may be submitted to the 
Registrar of Marriages, after the expiry of a period of three months, 
but not after six months, along with such fee, as may be prescribed, 
by describing the reasons for not submitting the said memorandum 
within the stipulated period. 
(2)      Any marriage of which delayed information is given to 
the Registrar of Marriages, after the expiry of a period of six months, 
but within one year of its occurrence, shall be registered only with the 
written permission of the prescribed authority and on payment of the 
prescribed fee and submission of an affidavit duly attested by a 
Notary Public or any other officer, authorized by the State 
Government in this behalf.  
Memorandum of 
marriage 
submitted after 
the stipulated 
period. 
(3)     Any marriage, which has not been registered within a   
period of one year from the date of its occurrence, shall be registered 
only with the written permission of the Chief Registrar of Marriages 
and on payment of such fee, as may be prescribed and  on submission 
of an affidavit duly attested by an officer authorized by the State 
Government in this behalf.  
 
6.  The Registration of marriage shall be made in the office of the 
Registrar of Marriages, within whose jurisdiction the marriage was 
solemnized or within whose jurisdiction, either or both parties to the 
marriage have their permanent place of residence. In case o f 
marriages, solemnized outside the State of Punjab, the registration of 
marriages can be made in the office of Registrar of Marriages where 
either party or parties thereto have their temporary residence in the 
State of Punjab.  
 
7.  (1)   Any p erson, aggrieved by the order of Registrar of   
Marriages refusing to register a marriage under sub -section (5) of 
section 4, may, within a period of thirty days from the date of passing 
of such order, appeal to the District Registrar of Marriages in such 
manner and on payment of such fees, as may be prescribed.  
(2)   The District Registrar of Marriages may, after giving an 
opportunity of being heard to the parties concerned, pass an order 
confirming the order of the Registrar of Marriages or after recordi ng 
the reasons, in writing, direct the Registrar of Marriages to register 
the marriage or may pass such order, as he may deem fit.  
(3)   Any person aggrieved by the order of the District 
Registrar of Marriages confirming the order of refusal to register a  
marriage under sub -section (2), may, within a period of sixty days 
from the date of receipt of such order, further appeal to the Chief 
Registrar of Marriages in such manner and on payment of such fee, as 
may be prescribed.  
Place of 
registration of 
marriage. 
Appeal. 
(4)   The Chief Registrar of Marriages, after giving an 
opportunity of being heard to the party concerned, shall pass an order 
confirming the order of the District Registrar of Marriages or the 
Registrar of Marriages concerned or after recording the reasons, in 
writing, direct the Dis trict Registrar of Marriages or the Registrar of 
Marriages concerned, as the case may be, to register the marriage or 
shall pass such order, as he may deem fit. 
8.  No marriage in the State of Punjab shall be deemed to be 
invalid solely bythe reason or the fact that it was not registered under 
this Act or that the memorandum was not presented to the Registrar of 
Marriages or that such memorandum was defective or incorrect. 
 
9. (1)  For carrying out the purposes of this Act, the State 
Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint an 
officer, to be the Chief Registrar of Marriages and such other officers 
to assist him, as it may deem fit.  
(2) The Chief Registrar of Marriages shall have jurisdiction 
over whole of the State of Punjab and shall have all the powers and 
perform all the duties conferred and imposed upon him under this 
Act. All other officers, appointed u nder sub-section (1), shall exercise 
such powers, as may be conferred upon them by the State 
Government.  
(3)  Every officer, appointed under sub -section (1), to assist 
the Chief Registrar of Marriages, shall exercise his powers, subject to 
the general sup erintendence and control of the Chief Registrar of 
Marriages.  
(4)  The Chief Registrar of Marriages shall be the Chie f 
Executive Authority in the State of Punjab for the purpose o f giving 
effect to the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder . For 
this purpose, he may issue directions to all concerned to co -ordinate 
and assist in the working of registration of marriages in an efficient 
way and shall prepare a report in this regard in such form and submit 
the same to the State Government in such  manner and at such 
Chief 
Registrar of 
Marriages. 
Non-
registration not 
to invalidate 
marriage. 
intervals, as may be prescribed.  
 
10 (1)       The State Government shall appoint a District Re gistrar of 
Marriages for each District and such number o f Additional District 
Registrars of Marriages, as it may deem fit, who shall , subject to the 
general control and directions of the District Registra r of Marriages, 
discharge such functions, as the District Registrar o f Marriages may, 
from time to time, assign to them.  
(2)      Subject to the general superintendence and control of the 
Chief Registrar of Marriages, the District Reg istrar o f Marriages 
shall, superintendent the registration of marriages in the district , and 
shall be responsible for giving effect to the pro visions of this Act and 
the rules made thereunder or the directions issued b y the Chief 
Registrar of Marriages from time to time.  
 
11.  (1)  The State Government shall appoint a Registrar of 
Marriages for comprising the area of a tehsil or sub -tehsil or a 
combination of any two or more for   carrying into execution in such 
areas the provisions of this Act: 
 Provided that the State Government may appoint, in the case of 
a Municipality or a Panchayat or group of Panchayats, any officer or 
employee thereof, to be a Registrar of Marriages under the provisions 
of this Act. 
(2)  The Registrar of Marriages may also suo motu , or on 
notice, without fee or reward, enters and registers any marriage which 
takes place in his jurisdiction in the marriage register maintained 
under this Act, after calling the parties concerned and ascertaining the 
facts which require such marriage to be registered. 
(3)  Every Registrar of Marriages shall have an office in the 
local area of his jurisdiction for which he is so appointed.  
(4)  Every Registrar of Marriages shall attend his office for 
District 
Registrar of 
Marriages. 
Registrar 
of 
Marriages. 
the purpose of registering marriages on such days and at such public 
hours as the Chief   Registrar   may   direct and shall cause to be 
placed in a conspicuous place on or near the outer door of his  office, a 
board bearing, in the local language, his name and the designation of 
the word “Registrar of Marriages” and the public days and hours of 
his attendance. 
 
12.  Every Registrar of Marriages shall maintain a marriage 
register, for the area or part thereof, in relation to which he exercises 
jurisdiction in such form, language and manner, as may be 
prescribed.  
 
13.  If the Registrar of Marriages finds that any entry of a marriage 
in the marriage register kept by him under this Act, is erroneous in 
form or substance or has been fraudulently or improperly made, he 
may, subject to such rules, as may be made by the State Government 
with respect to the conditions on which and the circumstances in 
which, such entries may be corrected or cancelled, correct the error 
or cancel the entries by making a suitable entry in the margin, 
without any alternation of the original entry, and shall sign and attest 
such entry, made in the margin and indicate the date of correction or 
cancellation, so made:  
 Provided that no such correction or alteration shall be made to the 
detriment of any person without giving him an opportunity  of being 
heard.  
14.   (1)   Subject to the rules made in this behalf by the State    
Government including rules relating to the payment of fees and postal 
charges, any person may, - 
(a)  cause a search to be made in the presence of the 
Registrar of Marriages or any other officer or official, 
duly authorized by him, for any entry in a register of    
marriages; or  
Maintenance of 
marriage 
register. 
Correction or 
cancellation of 
entry in the 
marriage 
register. 
Search of 
marriage 
register. 
(b)  obtain an extract from such register relating to any 
marriage.  
 (2)   All extracts, supplied under sub-section (1 ), shall be 
certified by the Registrar of Marriages or any other officer authorized 
by the State Government to supply such extracts as provided in 
section 76 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (Central Act 1 o f 1872), 
and shall be admissible in evidence for the purpose of proving the   
marriage to which these extracts relate. 
 
15.        Any person, who, - 
(a)  willfully omits or fails to present or send memorandum 
as required under section 4; or 
     (b)  makes any statement in such memorandum, which i s 
false in material particulars and which he knows or has 
reason to believe to be false; or  
   (c)  secretly destroys or dishonestly or fraudulently alters the 
marriage register or any part thereof, 
shall be liable to fine, which may extend to one thousand  
rupees. 
 
16. The Chief Registrar of Marriages, the District Registrar of 
Marriages, the Registrar of Marriages and other officers, appointed to 
perform functions under this Act, shall be deemed to be public 
servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code, 
1860 (45 of 1860). 
17.  No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding sh all b e 
instituted against any person for anything which is in good faith, done 
or   intended to be done under this Act.  
 
 
Penalty. 
Protection of 
actions taken 
in good faith. 
Chief Registrar 
of Marriages, 
District Registrar 
of Marriages, 
Registrar of 
Marriages and 
other officers to 
be public 
servants. 
18.  (l)  The State Government may , by notification in th e 
Official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes o f this Act.  
 (2)  In particu lar and without prejudice to the generalit y of 
the foregoing powers such rules may provide for all or an y of t he   
following matter, namely: - 
  (a)  the form of memorandum, fee and the person , who shall 
attest the same under sub -sections (1) and (3) o f section 
4; 
    (b)  the period within which a marriage is to be r egistered 
under sub-section (5) of section 4;  
    (c)  the fee payable under sub -sections (1), (2) and (3) o f 
section5;  
     (d)  the authority mentioned in sub-section (2) of section 5; 
      (e) the manner and fee for filing an appeal under sub - 
section (1) of section 7; 
     (f)  the manner and fee for filing of further appeal under sub 
section (3) of section 7; 
    (g)  the form, manner and intervals at which the report o f 
working of registration of marriages under this Act is to 
be submitted under sub-section (4) of section 9; 
    (h)  the form , language and manner in which 
marriageregister is to be maintained under section 12;  
    (i) the conditions on which and the circumstances in which, 
entries may be corrected or cancelled under section 13;  
    (j)the fee for search of any entry in a marriage register and 
for obtaining an extract under sub-section (1) of section 14; and  
     (k)  any other matter required to be prescribed by or under 
this Act.  
(3)  Every rule made under this section, shall be laid , as soon 
as may be, after it is made, before the House of the State Legislature 
while it is in session for a total period of t en days, which ma y be 
comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions , and 
if, before the expiry of the session in which it is so laid or th e 
successive sessions as aforesaid, the House agrees in making an y 
Power of the 
State 
Government to 
make rules. 
modification in the rule or the House agrees that the rule should not 
be made, the rule shall thereafter, have effect only in such modified 
form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so however, that any such 
modification or annulment, shall be without prejudice to the validity 
of anything previously done under that rule.   
 
19.   The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to and not in 
derogation of the provisions of the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 
1872 (15 of 1872), the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 (7 of 1909), the 
Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 (26 of 
1937)and the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (25 of 1955). 
 
Provisions not 
to be 
derogatory to 
certain laws. 
 

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