Gujarat Govt Wants to Make Parental Consent Compulsory For Marriage Registration
New Delhi: The Gujarat government has proposed amendments to the Gujarat Registration of Marriages Act, 2006 to make parental consent compulsory for the registration of marriages, a move it has linked to concerns over alleged cases of “love jihad”.
According to a report by The Indian Express, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi tabled the proposal in the state Assembly on Friday (February 20) under Rule 44, calling it a “matter of public importance”. He said the government was not opposed to love marriages but was seeking to “protect the dignity of girls and sanatan dharma”.
Stating that “under the name of love jihad, a game is being played in the state”, Sanghavi said a “strong armour” was needed for young women. He cited alleged irregularities in districts such as Panchmahal, Banaskantha, Navsari and Mehsana. “If any Salim changes his identity and becomes Suresh to trap innocent girls, he will be taught a lesson for life,” he said in the Assembly.
The newspaper reported that the proposed changes would require couples to submit a notarised application signed by both parties and two witnesses, along with identity proof, Aadhaar cards, birth or school leaving certificates, wedding invitation, photographs and a declaration stating whether parents have been informed. Similar documents of parents on both sides would also be required.
Parents would be informed within 10 working days of the Assistant Registrar’s confirmation through electronic or physical means. Registration would take place 30 days after the Registrar is satisfied that all requirements have been met. The government has invited public suggestions for 30 days and plans to set up a committee to review them before finalising amendments.
The move follows a memorandum submitted in December 2025 by former members of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel seeking compulsory parental consent for marriage registration.
The Times of India also reported that several villages and caste organisations in parts of Gujarat have adopted resolutions discouraging or penalising marriages without parental approval.
In Nand village in Kheda district’s Mahudha taluka, the gram sabha recently passed a resolution imposing social boycott on couples who marry against their families’ wishes. Such couples are barred from community facilities, religious gatherings and social functions, and can face fines. Village sarpanch Bharat Solanki told the newspaper that rising cases of “sagotra (intra-clan)” marriages and elopements had led to the decision.
The report also cited Geni Thakor, Congress MP from Banaskantha, who said she had earlier raised concerns during discussion of the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2021. She argued that parental involvement was necessary to prevent what she described as fraudulent marriages.
Leaders of Patidar groups have pressed for stronger provisions than those proposed by the state. Lalji Patel of the Sardar Patel Group stated that his organisation had demanded mandatory parental consent rather than mere intimation. Pamphlets circulated by sections of the Patidar Sena have sought additional restrictions on court marriages and age conditions for witnesses.
Legal experts quoted by The Times of India warned that such measures could conflict with constitutional protections of adult choice. Kaushik Parmar, a lawyer from Mehsana who works with inter-caste couples, told the newspaper that “love marriage is not the enemy of society; it is the right of a free citizen”.
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