4 min readAhmedabadFeb 20, 2026 11:36 PM IST
Stating that “under the name of love jihad, a game is being played in the state” and “a strong armour… needs to be created for young girls”, the Gujarat government Friday proposed amendments to the Gujarat Registration of Marriages Act, 2006, including a provision that makes consent of parents compulsory for registration of a marriage.
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Tabling the proposal in the state Assembly under Assembly Rule 44, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi cited cases from the Panchmahal district where “there was not a single Muslim or mosque yet hundreds of nikaah certificates were issued” and from the districts of Banaskantha, Navsari and Mehsana.
Calling it a matter of “public importance”, Sanghavi said the government was “not against love marriages” but was proposing the amendment for “protecting dignity of girls and sanatan dharma”.
Consent of parents in the marriage registration process is proposed to be made mandatory and they will be officially informed via a WhatsApp message after a marriage registration application is submitted. “The parents of the bride and groom will be informed within ten working days of the confirmation of the Assistant Registrar and the same will be communicated electronically or physically (through the means prescribed by the government) as may be practicable,” the proposal stated.
The government announced a 30-day period for public suggestions and recommendations on the proposed changes. A committee will be constituted to review the suggestions and recommendations before the law is amended and a dedicated portal will be created for registration of marriages. Under the proposed regulation, the registration of a marriage will take at least 30 days.
In December 2025, former members of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to make parental consent compulsory for registration of a marriage.
“Over the past three months, Minister of State for Law and Justice Kaushik Vekariya has held around 30 meetings with various social organisations before arriving at these reforms. Several suggestions have been received during these meetings. Under the name of love jihad, a game is being played in the state. If any Salim changes his identity and becomes Suresh to trap innocent girls, he will be taught a lesson for life,” Sanghavi said.
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He later told mediapersons, “If someone deceives a daughter of the state by hiding his identity, this government will ensure such strict action that he will not dare to look at any daughter with ill-intent in the future. Today’s time demands a strong armour that needs to be created for young girls… The government does not oppose love marriages, but it will certainly take strict action against fraud and coercion. This government is the protector of every daughter’s dignity and of our sanatan tradition,” he added.
Proposed registration system
* The marriage registration application must be submitted with the signatures of both parties and two witnesses. The application must be legally notarised and must be accompanied by proof of identity of both parties, issued by the Central government or the state government such as driving licence, passport, photo identity card.
* Every marriage registration application will be submitted by the government to the Assistant Registrar of the respective jurisdiction and this application will have to be submitted along with the details and documents of the bride and groom including Aadhaar cards, birth certificates or school leaving certificates, wedding invitation, two passport size photographs, a wedding photograph, photographs of witnesses and a declaration whether the bride and groom have informed their parents about the marriage. Similar documents of parents on both sides will be required.
* Parents of the bride and groom will be informed within 10 working days of the confirmation/satisfaction of the Assistant Registrar and this will be communicated electronically or physically (through the means prescribed by the government) as may be practicable.
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* The Assistant Registrar, on receipt of an application, will forward it to the Registrar of the district/taluka concerned. The marriage will be registered 30 days after the Registrar is satisfied that the requirements specified in sub-rules (1 to 7) have been met.
* The Registrar will upload all details on an online portal to be created by the government. After the procedure is completed, the Registrar will prepare a marriage registration certificate as per Form-2 and this certificate will be delivered to the parties personally or by post.
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