Jagran correspondent, Patna. Marriage registration which is done at a fee of Rs 100 is very important. People realize its importance when any legal-administrative complication arises. Of the district's population of 65 lakh, about 16 percent girls and 19 percent boys are of marriageable age.
According to estimates, more than 20 thousand marriages take place in the district every year. The average number of people registering every year is 2500. This also includes figures for solo or court marriages. According to Sub Registrar Rajeev Ranjan, despite all the awareness programs in the capital, marriage registration is still being done only when necessary.
People get marriage registration done when needed for passport, bank, insurance, pension, or other legal-administrative purposes. This is the reason why most marriage registrations are done many years after the marriage. Let us tell you that from 2023 to April 2025, 18 thousand 465 marriages were registered in the state.
During this period, 5,693 solo or court marriages also took place. Patna has the highest number of marriage registrations. During the same period, 4 thousand 138 court marriages took place in Patna, while 4 thousand 439 marriages were registered.
Marriage registration is an essential legal document.
A traditional marriage is socially valid but there is no way to prove it if any legal or administrative complications arise in the future. If it is registered in the sub-registrar office after the traditional marriage, it becomes a legal document.
This not only avoids future legal complications but also strengthens the rights and social security of the couple. The sub-registrar told that a fee of Rs 100 is charged for registering the marriage immediately after the marriage and Rs 200 for registering the marriage after years. The fee for court marriage is three hundred rupees. If registration is done immediately after marriage, many problems can be avoided in future.
Why is marriage registration needed?
Registration of marriage provides government recognition to the marital relationship of husband and wife. Due to its absence, women especially have to face difficulties in protecting their rights, deciding inheritance and taking benefits of social security schemes. In the capital, the number of people registering for passport, visa, bank account, insurance, pension, family benefits or property related matters is high when marriage certificate is required.
Difficulty in collecting documents, witnesses and evidence due to delay
Marriage registration in the state is done under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 and Bihar Marriage Registration Rules 2006. For this, the couple has to apply online or offline in the nearest registration office (Sub Registrar Office). If registration is not done within the stipulated time, there is difficulty in availability of documents, identification of witnesses and gathering proof of marriage. This can make the process long and complicated, whereas registering immediately after the marriage keeps the process simple, transparent and time bound.