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In force

The Special Marriage Act, 1954

51 sections · As amended up to 2026-08

Sections

  1. VIII — MISCELLANEOUS
  2. 1I am at the present time unmarried (or a widow or a divorcee, as the case may be)
  3. 2( See section 5) NOTICE OF INTENDED MARRIAGE
  4. 3I am not related to A.B. (the Bridegroom) within the degrees of prohibited relationship
  5. 4I am aware that, if any statement in this declaration is false, and if in making such statement I ei
  6. II — SOLEMNIZATION OF SPECIAL MARRIAGES
  7. 5Notice of intended marriage
  8. 6Marriage Notice Book and publication
  9. VIII — MISCELLANEOUS
  10. 7Mother's brother's son
  11. II — SOLEMNIZATION OF SPECIAL MARRIAGES
  12. 8Procedure on receipt of objection
  13. 9Powers of Marriage Officers in respect of inquiries
  14. 10Procedure on receipt of objection by Marriage Officer abroad
  15. 11Declaration by parties and witnesses
  16. 12Place and form of solemnization
  17. 13Certificate of marriage
  18. 14New notice when marriage not solemnized within three months
  19. III — REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGES CELEBRATED IN OTHER FORMS
  20. 15Registration of marriages celebrated in other forms
  21. 16Procedure for registration
  22. 17Appeals from orders under section 16
  23. 18Effect of registration of marriage under this Chapter
  24. IV — CONSEQUENCES OF MARRIAGE UNDER THIS ACT
  25. 19Effect of marriage on member of undivided family
  26. 20Rights and disabilities not affected by Act
  27. 21Succession to property of parties married under Act
  28. V — RESTITUTION OF CONJUGAL RIGHTS AND JUDICIAL SEPARATION
  29. 22Restitution of conjugal rights
  30. 23Judicial separation
  31. VI — NULLITY OF MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
  32. 24Void marriages
  33. 25Voidable marriages
  34. 27Divorce
  35. 27AAlternative relief in divorce proceedings.―
  36. 28Divorce by mutual consent
  37. 29Restriction on petitions for divorce during first one year after marriage
  38. 30Remarriage of divorced persons
  39. VII — JURISDICTION AND PROCEDURE
  40. 31Court to which petition should be made
  41. 32Contents and verification of petitions
  42. 34Duty of court in passing decrees
  43. 36Alimony
  44. VIII — MISCELLANEOUS
  45. 37Mother's brother's daughter
  46. VII — JURISDICTION AND PROCEDURE
  47. 38Custody of children
  48. 39AEnforcement of decrees and orders
  49. 40Application of Act 5 of 1908
  50. 40BSpecial provisions relating to trial and disposal of petitions under the Act
  51. 40CDocumentary evidence
  52. 41Power of High Court to make rules regulating procedure
  53. VIII — MISCELLANEOUS
  54. 42Saving.―
  55. 43Penalty on married person marrying again under this Act
  56. 44Punishment of bigamy
  57. 45Penalty for signing false declaration or certificate
  58. 46Penalty for wrongful action of Marriage Officer
  59. 47Marriage Certificate Book to be open to inspection
  60. 48Transmission of copies of entries in marriage records
  61. 49Correction of errors
  62. 50Power to make rules
  63. 51Repeals and savings