New Delhi: The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has finally agreed to implement Anand Marriage Act in the state after being persuaded by the Delhi MLA, Spokesman of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) General Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
Disclosing about the decision to implement the act, the Deputy Secretary of the Law and Judicial department has written to Secretary Women and Child Development that Government of Arunachal Pradesh has changed its viewpoint on the matter after being informed by Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
This letter states that it had earlier too received representation from Sirsa on the matter but the Government decided not to implement the act keeping in view the minor population of the Sikhs in the state. It said that this matter has now been re examined and it has been observed that section 6 of the said Amendment Act 2012 contains provision mandating the state government to make rules for solemnization of marriages of the Sikh community in the state.
It is worth mentioning here that after the initial refusal of the Arunachal government to implement the Anand Marriage Act in the state, Sirsa has brought to its notice provisions under the act and rules framed by different states in the matter. It was also brought to its notice that as the Parliament of the country has passed the act, all states can implement the act without any hitch.
The Akali Dal Spokesman disclosed that he has been informed by the Deputy Secretary that now the Arunachal Government has advised the Women and Child Development/Social Justice department to take steps to frame the rules for registration of marriages of sikh community and this proposal has already been approved by Commissioner Law of the state government.
The DSGMC General Secretary thanked the Arunachal Pradesh government for its noble gesture to review its earlier decision on his appeal and allow its implementation in the state. He said that though number of the sikh population may be small in the state but it is matter related with the faith and emotions of the community and every sikh couple likes to get their marriage registered under the said act.
Sirsa said that it was dream of the SAD President Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal that act should be implemented in all the states and he expressed satisfaction that till date this act has been implemented in all the major states and other remaining would be covered by the end of this year.
