Special Marriage Act, 1954

SPECIAL MARRIAGE ACT,1954  Introduction India is a country with strong traditions, cultures, and religious diversities. Though marriage as an institution is highly esteemed in all societies, it is also often imbued with religious traditions, caste considerations, and family obligations. The Special Marriage Act, 1954 (SMA) in such a scenario is a rare liberal and secular law that enables people to marry outside the precincts of religion, caste, and custom. Special Marriage Act is not just a law it is the freedom, autonomy, and choice to love in a nation where intercaste or interfaith marriage is met with social opposition. This blog explores the origin, key provisions, procedure, significance, difficulty, and contemporaneity of the Act. Why was the Special Marriage Act brought in? Prior to 1954, Indian marriages were governed by personal laws such as Hindu Marriage Act, Muslim Personal Law, Christian Marriage Act, and Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act. These laws are based on private ...