NCHR urges Punjab govt to implement Hindu Marriage Act

Islamabad:In a letter written to the Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman, National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) has urged Punjab government to take immediate and substantial steps for the implementation of Hindu Marriage Act 2017.

The letter written by NCHR Member Punjab Nadeem Ashraf, the Commission called for immediate notification of Hindu Marriage Registrars, potentially secretaries of Union Councils. “The NCHR Regional Office Lahore is actively engaged with the Chief Secretary’s Office, and a follow-up hearing by Nadeem Ashraf, Member (Punjab), NCHR, is scheduled for the last week of January 2024,” said Chairperson NCHR Rabiya Javeri Agha.

The Hindu Marriage Act, 2017 regulates the registration of Hindu Marriage and divorces. Though being a Federal Law, the Act is also applicable in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab. “However, it has been observed that the said law was not being implemented and as a consequence, Hindu community was being deprived of their fundamental right of documentation of their marriages, divorces, and issuance of child registration certificate,” mentions the letter.

The letter called for the personal intervention Chief Secretary Punjab for the provision of one of the basic rights to the Hindu community by implementing the Act starting with the formulation of pending rules such as notification of Hindu Marriage Registrars.

Responding to multiple complaints and recognizing the urgency of the issue, the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) Punjab Office took the lead by directing the representative of the Human Rights and Minority Affairs Department to compile comprehensive details and submit a report within a week.

“In light of the ambiguity surrounding the Administrative Department responsible for implementing the Hindu Marriage Act, 2017, notices were issued to the Secretary Local Government and Community Development Department. Following that, the matter was taken up to the Chief Secretary level for the provision of basic rights to the Hindu Community urged the Punjab government to immediately notify Hindu Marriage Registrars, potentially secretaries of Union Councils,” said NCHR Chairperson.