Bill excludes Jammu and Kashmir from NRI marriage registration

It aims to protect spouses from fraudulent marriages and facilitate the enforcement of family law rights.

Who it concerns: Non-Resident Indians (defined as Indian citizens residing outside India) who marry an Indian citizen or another NRI, whether the marriage takes place in India or abroad.

What the bill does

• Mandatory registration of NRI marriages within 30 days of the wedding date under existing laws or with a Marriage Officer under the Foreign Marriage Act, 1969.
• Amendment to the Passport Act, 1967 allowing passport authorities to impound or revoke the passport/travel document of an NRI who fails to register their marriage within 30 days.
• Insertion of a new section (86A) in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, allowing courts to serve summons, warrants, and proclamations via a designated Ministry of External Affairs website.
• Provision for the attachment of movable or immovable property belonging to a proclaimed offender who fails to appear in court after such online service.

Also in the document

• The Bill explicitly excludes the State of Jammu and Kashmir from its application.
• It amends two existing central laws: the Passports Act, 1967, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
• The Statement of Objects and Reasons cites reports of Indian women being trapped in fraudulent marriages as the primary motivation for the legislation.