'Marry without notice to parents'- Delhi High Court

Giving relief to the consenting young couples who want to solomonise their marriage without the consent of their parents, the Delhi High Court directed the Marriage Officers (SDM) to do away with the mandatory condition of sending the notices to their parents. The Court while directing the Marriage Officers (the Sub Divisional Magistrates) to do away with the mandatory rules to send the notices to the parents of the consenting adult couples, who wish to marry without the consent of their parents but, however, directed that the officers can display such information on the notice board of their office. Justice Ravindra Bhat said, ’All Marriage Officers are hereby directed not to dispatch notices to the residence of the applicants, who seek to solemnise their marriage under the Special Act. It is, however, open to the officers to display the notice on the office notice board in accordance with the law.’ ‘The unwarranted disclosure of the matrimonial plans by two adults entitled to solemnize, it may in certain situation, jeopardise the marriage itself, ‘ the Court ruled. The Court orders came on a petition filed by a couple in their early 20s, who did not want notices about their marriage to be sent to their parents as they opposed it.