Many Districts in Madhya Pradesh have decided to term the weddings held secretly this month amid the lockdown restrictions illegal. The couples who tied the knot secretly during the lockdown will not be issued marriage certificates.
Seeing a surge in COVID-19 a temporary ban on marriages was set by the authorities but secret wedding ceremonies continued to take place in parts of Madhya Pradesh.
The authorities had to stop at least 130 ceremonies and 30 persons were booked for violating the guidelines. A few district collectors have now issued a separate order to declare the marriages that were held in May illegal officials informed a leading newspaper.
A few district collectors issued a separate order to declare such marriages illegal and asked the registrar office not to issue any certificates for nuptials tied in May, failing which, even officials may be booked under section 188 for disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), says the order.
Citing the ban many weddings were shifted to the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh but this order will not impact such marriages conducted in other states, the official added.
