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  "title": "PUNJAB SIKH ANAND KARAJ MARRIAGE ACT 2018",
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  "source_url": "https://punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk/en/show_article/ADYANAY1UmY-",
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  "text": "THE PUNJAB SIKH ANAND KARAJ MARRIAGE ACT 2018 \r\n(VI of 2018) \r\nCONTENTS \r\n \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement \r\n \r\n2. Definitions \r\n \r\n3. Solemnization of Anand Karaj \r\n \r\n4. Saving of marriages  \r\n \r\n5. Registration of marriages \r\n \r\n6. Dissolution of marriage \r\n \r\n7.  Power to make rules \r\n \r\n8. Overriding effect \r\n \r\n9. Repeal and savings \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\nTEXT \r\n1\r\nTHE PUNJAB SIKH ANAND KARAJ MARRIAGE ACT 2018 \r\n(VI of 2018) \r\n[19 March, 2018] \r\nAn \r\nAct \r\nto provide for solemnization and registration of Sikh marriages. \r\nIt is necessary to make provisions to regulate Sikh marriages commonly known as \r\nAnand Karaj; \r\nBe it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows: \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be cited as the \r\nPunjab Sikh Anand Karaj Marriage Act 2018. \r\n(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab. \r\n(3) It shall come into force at once. \r\n2. Definitions.– In this Act: \r\n(a) “Act” means the Punjab Sikh Anand Karaj Marriage Act 2018;  \r\n(b) “Anand Karaj” means the lawful union of a Sikh male and a Sikh female \r\nsolemnized under the Act and conducted in accordance with the \r\npractices of the Sikh religion, where the four laavaan, permitt ed in the \r\nSri Guru Granth Sahib, are recited; \r\n(c) “Anand Karaj Certificate” means the certificate of a marriage issued by \r\nthe Anand Karaj Registrar; \r\n(d) “Chairman” means the Chairman of a Union Council or Municipal \r\nCommittee or any officer authorized by the Govern ment to perform the \r\nfunctions of the Chairman under the Act; \r\n(e) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; \r\n(f) “Granthi” means a Sikh who recites the Guru Granth Sahib and \r\nsolemnizes a marriage between Sikhs; \r\n(g) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules; \r\n(h) “Sikh” means a person who follows Sikh religion as a monotheistic Sikh \r\nreligion and believes in the scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib and does \r\nnot subscribe to any other religion; and \r\n(i) “Sikh religion” means the belief in Akalpurakh (One Eternal Being), the \r\nten Gurus from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh and the acceptance \r\nof Guru Granth Sahib as the Eternal-Living Guru. \r\n3. Solemnization of Anand Karaj .– (1) A Sikh male and a Sikh female may \r\ncontract a marriage in accordance with Sikh religion, if the parties to the marriage:  \r\n                                                 \r\n1This Act was passed by the Provincial Assembly of the P unjab on 14.03.2018; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on \r\n19 March 2018; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 20 March 2018, pp.6609-6611. \r\n \r\n \r\n(a) are of sound mind and not below the age of eighteen years;  \r\n(b) enter into marriage contract with their free and full consent; and \r\n(c) are not related to each other in any degree of consanguinity or \r\naffinity which, according to the customary law o f Sikhs, renders \r\nthe marriage  between them unlawful. \r\n(2) Nothing in the Act shall be deemed to validate any marriage between \r\nthe persons who are related to each other in any degree of consanguinity or affinity \r\nwhich would, according to the customary law o f Sikhs render a marriage between \r\nthem illegal. \r\n4. Saving of marriages .– Nothing in the Act shall affect the validity of any \r\nmarriage duly solemnized according to any other marriage cere mony customary \r\namong the Sikhs. \r\n5. Registration of marriages .– (1) Eve ry marriage between Sikhs shall be \r\nregistered under the Act. \r\n (2) For purposes of the registration of the marriages under the Act, the \r\nGovernment, in the prescribed manner, shall grant license to one or more persons \r\nprofessing Sikh religion to be called An and Karaj Registrar authorizing them to grant \r\nAnand Karaj Certificate. \r\n (3) The bridegroom and the bride or a Granthi shall fill the Anand Karaj \r\nForm and present it, within thirty days of the marriage, to the Anand Karaj Registrar \r\nfor registration of the marriage and a copy thereof shall be sent to the Chairman.  \r\n (4) The parties to the marriage or the Granthi or any other person who \r\nsolemnizes Anand Karaj shall accurately fill all the columns of the Anand Karaj Form. \r\n (5) On receipt of the Anand Karaj Form , the Anand Karaj Registrar, having \r\nbeen satisfied that the marriage has been duly solemnized under the Act, shall \r\nregister the marriage and issue the Anand Karaj Certificate.  \r\n (6) A marriage which is not solemnized by the Anand Karaj Registrar shall, \r\nfor the purpose of registration under the Act, be reported, within thirty days of the \r\nsolemnization of the marriage, to him by the Granthi or the person who solemnized \r\nthe marriage. \r\n (7) The Anand Karaj Form, the register to be maintained by the Anand \r\nKaraj R egistrar, the records to be preserved by a Union Council, the manner in \r\nwhich the Anand Karaj shall be registered, supply of the copies of Anand Karaj \r\nCertificate and the fees to be charged therefor shall be such as may be prescribed.  \r\n (8) Whoever contravenes the provisions of this section shall be punished, \r\nin the prescribed manner, with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees. \r\n6. Dissolution of marriage.– (1) Any party that wishes to dissolve the marriage \r\nshall give to the Chairman, notice in writin g of his or her intention to do so and shall \r\nsupply a copy thereof to the other party. \r\n(2) Within thirty days of the receipt of the notice under subsection (1), the \r\nChairman shall constitute an Arbitration Council in the prescribed manner for the \r\npurpose of bringing about reconciliation between them and the Council shall take all \r\nsteps necessary to that effect. \r\n(3) If the reconciliation is not effected within ninety days from the date of \r\nthe notice, the Chairman shall, after the lapse of the ninety days, de clare the \r\n \r\n \r\nmarriage to have been dissolved and issue the Certificate of the Dissolution of \r\nMarriage in the prescribed manner. \r\n7. Power to make rules .– The Government may, by notification in the official \r\nGazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of the Act. \r\n8. Overriding effect.– Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for \r\nthe time being in force, the provisions of this Act shall have effect. \r\n9. Repeal and savings.– (1) The Anand Marriage Act, 1909 (VII of 1909), in its \r\napplication to the Province of Punjab, is hereby repealed. \r\n (2) Notwithstanding the repeal of the said Act, anything done, action taken, \r\nrules or orders made under the repealed Act, shall, so far they are not inconsistent \r\nwith the provisions of the Act, be deemed to have been d one, taken, made or issued \r\nunder the Act and shall have effect accordingly. \r\n (3) Any document referring to the repealed Act shall be construed as \r\nreferring to the corresponding provisions of the Act.",
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