Kerala HC allows marriage registrations through Video Conferencing

Kochi, Jan 23: In a major relief to brides and bridegrooms of Kerala, The High Court has held that the Local Registrar of Marriages under the Kerala Registration of Marriages (Common) Rules, 2008, can allow couples to appear before him through video conferencing.

The court made the ruling while allowing the plea of an NRI couple from Kollam to appear before the marriage registrar through video conferencing.

The court observed that personal appearance of couples was insisted on for registration of the marriage to ensure that the marriage was registered with their knowledge. It was common knowledge that virtual presence of a person living in a different country could be ensured by video conferencing.

The court added that the registrar could certainly ensure that the application for registration of the marriage was made with the knowledge of the parties through video conferencing.

The petitioners, residents of the U.S., had applied through their power-of-attorney holder, for registration of marriage. The local registrar had called upon the petitioners to appear before him to sign the Register of Marriages.

The petitioners need to provide their marriage certificate issued by the competent authority in their country along with their applications to apply for Permanent Resident status in the US.

As they are in the U.S., they are unable to appear before the marriage registrar.