IAMIL LAW

VCID AND VCIDA8LL MAkkIAGLS UNDLk

CnkIS1IAN LAW AND MCnAMLDAN LAW








Name San[anak
C|ass II
nd
yr 8A 8L (nons)
Date for Subm|ss|on
Marks for Subm|ss|on
Date for resentat|on
Marks for presentat|on

[Z`WZ`_
O AcLs ClLed4
O Case Laws4
O dla ChrlsLla Marrlage AcL 18723
O LeL of Lhe AcL3
O AppllcabllLy of Lhe AcL3
O CofllcL of laws beLwee dla ChrlsLla Marrlage AcL ad Speclal
Marrlage AcL6
O Marlasoosal vs Clara Mary o 22 AugusL 19947
O @he Speclal Marrlage AcL 1934
4 Sec24 vold marrlages 8
4 Sec 23 voldable marrlage8
O Sm Laga 8haLLachar[ee vs Shyamal 8haLLachar[ee o 16 !uly
197410
4 Sec 26 LeglLlmacy of chlldre of vold ad voldable
marrlages11
O Marrlages l Mohameda Law12
O AspecLs of Musllm Marrlage12
O valld or Sahlh Marrlage12
O rregular (lasld Marrlage)13
4 A Mohmeda ca have oly four wlves13
4 8ar of ulawful co[ucLlo13
4 Shla's Law13
4 ffecL of dlfferece of rellglo13
O Lhe brlde's slde Lhe followlg dlsquallflcaLlo are oLe
worLhy14
O ffecL of dlfferece of rellglo14
O A speclal oLe o SmL Sarala Mudgal v ulo of dla14
O vold or 8aLll Marrlage16
O Cocluslo16
O 8lbllography17
















Acts C|ted
dla ChrlsLla Marrlage AcL 1872
Speclal Marrlage AcL 1934
9rlclples of Mohameda Law
dla 9eal Code 1860

Case Laws
Cooomotbo uJoyot v Aotbool
Marlasoosal vs Clara Mary o 22 AugusL 1994
Sm Laga 8haLLachar[ee vs Shyamal 8haLLachar[ee o 16 !uly
1974
SmL Sarala Mudgal v ulo of dla
Llly @homas v ulo of dla









Ind|an Chr|st|an Marr|age Act 1872
@he ChrlsLla Law of Marrlage l dla ls govered by Lhe dla
ChrlsLla Marrlage AcL of 1872
Marrlage as ls see l ChrlsLla LradlLlo ls oL merely a clvll
coLracL or ls lL purely a rellglous coLracL L ls see as a coLracL
accordlg Lo Lhe law of aLure aLecedeL Lo clvll lsLlLuLlos ad by
lLself a lsLlLuLlo A marrlage amog ChrlsLlas ls LradlLloally
udersLood as Lhe voluLary ulo for llfe of oe ma ad oe woma
Lo Lhe ecluslo of all oLhers ad dla law follows sulL so LhaL dla
does oL allow for Lhe posslblllLy of samese marrlage as lL has bee
celebraLed by some churches l oLher couLrles l receL years

Lxtent of the Act

@he dla ChrlsLla Marrlage AcL of 1872 eLeds Lo Lhe whole of dla
ecepL Lhe LerrlLorles whlch lmmedlaLely before Lhe 1sL november
1936 were comprlsed l Lhe SLaLe of @ravacoreCochl Malpur ad
!ammu ad kashmlr @herefore Lhls AcL does oL apply Lo marrlages of
ChrlsLlas solemlsed l Lhe LerrlLorles of Lhe former SLaLes of
@ravacore ad Cochl whlch ow form parL of kerala ad @amll nadu
Powever clvll marrlages amog ChrlsLlas l Lhe former SLaLe of Cochl
are govered by Lhe provlslos of Lhe Cochl ChrlsLla Clvll Marrlage
AcL (AcL v of 1093 M 1920 Au) @here ls o sLaLuLe regulaLlg
solemlsaLlo of marrlages amog ChrlsLlas l !ammu ad kashmlr
ad Malpur L ls Lhe cusLomary law or persoal law LhaL prevalls
Lhere

App||cab||ty of the Act
Sec4
"Marrlages Lo be Solemlzed accordlg Lo AcL very marrlage
beLwee persos oe or boLh of whom ls or are a ChrlsLla or
ChrlsLlas shall be solemlzed l accordace wlLh Lhe provlslos of Lhe
eL followlg secLlo ad ay such marrlage solemlzed oLherwlse
Lha l accordace wlLh such provlslos shall be vold#

NC1LS
@hough uder Lhe cao law a marrlage performed by a SchlsmaLlc
prlesL where Lhe 9arLles Lo marrlage are 8oma CaLhollc wlll oL be
recoglzed as valld by Lhe CaLhollc Church ad Lhe off sprlg wlll be
descrlbed as llleglLlmaLe such a marrlage would be perfecLly valld
uder secLlo 4 ad 3 of Lhe AcL ad Lhe progey perfecLly leglLlmaLe
Cooomotbo uJoyot v Aotbool
1


Conf||ct of |aws between Ind|an Chr|st|an Marr|age Act and
Spec|a| Marr|age Act
@he dla ChrlsLla Marrlage AcL 1872 says LhaL aparL from ChrlsLla
ChrlsLla marrlages Lhe marrlage of a ChrlsLla wlLh a oChrlsLla
musL also be solemlzed uder Lhls AcL (SecLlo 4) @he Speclal
Marrlage AcL o Lhe oLher had says LhaL ay Lwo persos (whaLever
be Lhelr rellglo) ca marry l accordace wlLh lLs provlslos @here ls
Lhus a cofllcLoflaw slLuaLlo l respecL of marrlage of a ChrlsLla
wlLh a oChrlsLla

O @he ChrlsLla Marrlage AcL 1872 (AcL xv of 1872) xAMnu 8? lu8AL
SPA8A@ Cu8@ @he CourL declared SecLlo 4 of Lhls AcL repugaL Lo Lhe
[ucLlos of slam SecLlo 4 deals wlLh Marrlage Lo be solemlzed
accordlg Lo Lhe AcL


1
Alk 1960 MoJ 4J0
Mar|asoosa| vs C|ara Mary on 22 August 1994
2

Iacts
@hls case ralses a lLeresLlg quesLlo of law @he orlglal peLlLlo ls
oe flled uder S 4 of Lhe dla ChrlsLla Marrlage AcL 1872 by Lhe
husbad for a decree declarlg LhaL Lhe alleged marrlage beLwee hlm
ad Lhe respodeL ls ull ad vold ad cosequeLly Lhe respodeL
ls oL hls legally wedded wlfe Lhe peLlLlo lL ls sLaLed LhaL he was
havlg lLlmacy wlLh Lhe respodeL for a few moLhs ad l order Lo
compel hlm Lo marry her Lhe respodeLs pareLs ad relaLlves wlLh
Lhe help of Lhe pollce by force goL eecuLed a deed of marrlage o
paper bearlg 8s 230 sLamp o Lhe 27Lh cLober 1988 ad goL lL
reglsLered l Lhe fflce of Lhe Sub8eglsLrar Adlmadam
ne|d
@he case was favoured Lo Lhe peLlLloer (Lhe husbad)
o|nt Dec|ded
Accordlg Lo Lhe provlslos of Lhe dla ChrlsLla Marrlage AcL 1872
a ChrlsLla marrlage ca be solemlzed oly l ay of Lhe modes
prescrlbed l S 3 of Lhe sald AcL no formallLy or ceremoy was goe
Lhrough ad oly a agreemeL was eecuLed as sLaLed earller ad LhaL
Loo uder compulslo @he reglsLraLlo of Lhe documeL would oL
amouL Lo reglsLraLlo of Lhe marrlage ad Lherefore Lhe marrlage ls
ull ad vold


2
A8 1993 Mad 33 (1993) uMC 362
1he Spec|a| Marr|age Act 19S4
Sec24 Vo|d marr|ages
(1) Ay marrlage solemlzed uder Lhls AcL shall be ull ad vold ay
may be so declared by a decree of ulllLy lf
(l) ay of Lhe codlLlos speclfled l clause (a) (b) (c) ad (d) of secLlo
4 has oL bee fulfllled or
(ll) Lhe respodeL was lmpoLeL aL Lhe Llme of Lhe marrlage ad aL Lhe
Llme of Lhe lsLlLuLlo of Lhe sulL
(2) noLhlg coLaled l Lhls secLlo shall apply Lo ay marrlage
deemed Lo be solemlzed uder Lhls AcL wlLhl Lhe mealg of secLlo
18 buL Lhe reglsLraLlo of ay such marrlage uder ChapLer may be
declared Lo be of o effecL lf Lhe reglsLraLlo was l coLraveLlo of
ay of Lhe codlLlos speclfled l clause (a) Lo (e) of secLlo 13
9rovlded LhaL o such declaraLlo shall be made l ay case where a
appeal has bee preferred uder secLlo 17 ad Lhe declslo of Lhe
dlsLrlcL courL has become flal

Sec 2S Vo|dab|e marr|age
Ay marrlage solemlzed uder Lhls AcL shall be voldable ad may be
aulled by a decree of ulllLy lf
(l) @he marrlage has oL bee cosummaLed owlg Lo Lhe wlllful
refusal of Lhe respodeL Lo cosummaLe Lhe marrlage or
(ll) @he respodeL was aL Lhe Llme of Lhe marrlage pregaL by some
perso oLher Lha Lhe peLlLloer or
(lll) @he coseL of elLher parLy Lo Lhe marrlage was obLaled by
coerclo or fraud as defled l Lhe dla CoLracL AcL 1872 (x of
1872)
9rovlded LhaL l Lhe case speclfled l clause (ll) Lhe courL shall oL
graL a decree uless lL ls saLlsfled
(a) @haL Lhe peLlLloer was aL Lhe Llme of Lhe marrlage lgoraL of Lhe
facLs alleged
(b) @haL proceedlgs were lsLlLuLed wlLhl a year from Lhe daLe of Lhe
marrlage ad
(c) @haL marlLal lLercourse wlLh Lhe coseL of Lhe peLlLloer has oL
Lake place slce Lhe dlscovery by Lhe peLlLloer of Lhe elsLece of Lhe
grouds for a decree
9rovlded furLher LhaL l Lhe case speclfled l clause (lll) Lhe courL shall
oL graL a decree lf
(a) 9roceedlgs have oL bee lsLlLuLed wlLhl oe year afLer Lhe
coerclo have ceased or as Lhe case may be fraud had bee
dlscovered or
(b) @he peLlLloer has wlLh hls or her free coseL llved wlLh Lhe oLher
parLy Lo Lhe marrlage as husbad ad wlfe afLer Lhe coerclo had
ceased or as Lhe case may be Lhe fraud had bee dlscovered

Sm Lagna 8hattachar[ee vs Shyama| 8hattachar[ee on 16 Iu|y
1974
3

Iacts
O A 8haLLacharlee 8rahml couple celebraLed Lhelr marrlage uder
Pldu form ad rlLes @hey LhereafLer reglsLered Lhelr marrlage
uder ChapLer of Lhe Speclal Marrlage AcL 1934 whlch
coLals Lhe provlslos of Sec 13 owards

O @he CourL below dlsmlssed Lhe wlfes appllcaLlo made uder
SecLlo 23 of Lhe sald Speclal Marrlage AcL of 1934 for Lhe
aulmeL of Lhe Pldu marrlage by a decree of ulllLy

O @he oly quesLlo LhaL calls for coslderaLlo ls wheLher a
marrlage celebraLed l oLher forms buL reglsLered uder ChapLer
of Lhe Speclal Marrlage AcL 1934 ca be declared a ulllLy
uder Lhe provlslos of Lhe Speclal Marrlage AcL 1934 uder
SecLlo 23 because of Lhe effecL of reglsLraLlo of such marrlage
read wlLh SecLlo 18 of Lhe AcL whlch says lLer alla LhaL Lhe
marrlage shall be deemed Lo be solemlzed uder Lhls AcL
referrlg Lhereby Lo Lhe Speclal Marrlage AcL 1934 Accordlg Lo
Lhe appellaL by Lhe sald deemlg provlslo Lhe whole of Lhe
Speclal Marrlage AcL ls made appllcable eve Lo all oLher forms of
marrlage ad all Lhe marrlages celebraLed l oLher forms are Lhus

3
A8 1973 Cal 6
Lo be deemed Lo be marrlages solemlzed uder Lhe Speclal
Marrlage AcL 1934

o|nt dec|ded
Marrlages celebraLed l oLher forms of Marrlage caoL be declared
ull or vold uder Lhe provlslos of Lhe Speclal Marrlage AcL 1934
Lhough Lhe marrlages celebraLed l oLher forms have bee reglsLered
uder Lhe Speclal Marrlage AcL 1934 ly remedy LhaL ls avallable Lo a
spouse LhaL Lhe reglsLraLlo uder Lhe Speclal Marrlage AcL 1934 mlghL
be declared Lo be of o effecL lf sufflcleL grouds elsL Lherefor @he
marrlages celebraLed l oLher forms would coLlue uless Lhey are
declared ull ad vold uder Lhe provlslos avallable uder Lhose forms
of marrlage ad uder Lhe respecLlve Marrlage AcLs

Sec 26 Leg|t|macy of ch||dren of vo|d and vo|dab|e marr|ages
Where a decree of ulllLy ls graLed l respecL of ay
marrlage uder secLlo 24 or secLlo 23 ay chlld begoLLe before Lhe
decree ls made who would have bee Lhe leglLlmaLe chlld of Lhe parLles
Lo Lhe marrlage lf lL had bee dlssolved lsLead of belg declared Lo be
ull ad vold or aulled by a decree of ulllLy shall be deemed Lo be
Lhelr leglLlmaLe chlld oLwlLhsLadlg Lhe decree of ulllLy
9rovlded LhaL oLhlg coLaled l Lhls secLlo shall be
cosLrued as coferrlg upo ay chlld of a marrlage whlch ls declared
Lo be ull ad vold or aulled by a decree of ulllLy ay rlghLs l or Lo
Lhe properLy of ay perso oLher Lha Lhe pareLs l ay case where
buL for Lhe passlg of Lhls AcL such chlld would have bee lcapable of
possesslg or acqulrlg ay such rlghLs by reaso of hls oL belg Lhe
leglLlmaLe chlld of hls pareLs
MAkkIAGLS IN MCnAMLDAN LAW
slam ullke oLher rellglos ls a sLrog advocaLe of marrlage
@here ls o place of cellbacy l slam llke Lhe 8oma CaLhollc prlesLs
us @he 9ropheL has sald "1here |s no Ce||bacy |n Is|am#
Marrlage acLs as a ouLleL for seual eeds regulaLes lL so
oe does'L become slave Lo hls/her deslres L ls a soclal eed because
Lhrough marrlage famllles are esLabllshed ad Lhe famllles are Lhe
fudameLal eLlLy of our socleLy lurLhermore marrlage ls Lhe oly
leglLlmaLe or halal way Lo ldulge l lLlmacy beLwee a ma ad
woma
Aspects of Mus||m Marr|age
(l) valld or Sahlh
(ll) rregular or lasld
(lll) vold or 8aLll

(|) Va||d or Sah|h Marr|age uder Lhe Musllm law a valld marrlage
ls LhaL whlch has bee cosLlLuLed l accordace wlLh Lhe esseLlal
codlLloed prescrlbed earller L cofers upo Lhe wlfe Lhe rlghL of
dower malLeace ad resldece lmposes o her obllgaLlo Lo be
falLhful ad obedleL Lo her husbad admlL seual lLercourse wlLh
hlm observe ddaL
(||)Irregu|ar (Ias|d Marr|age)
@he marrlage should oL be vlLlaLed by lrregularlLles arlslg from
cerLal Lemporary dlsquallflcaLlos @hese dlsquallflcaLlos o Lhe
brldegroom's slde are Lhe followlg
A Mohmedan can have on|y four w|ves Pe has already four
wlves whlch ls Lhe malmum umber of wlves a Mohameda ca
have aL oe Llme f course lf he dlvorces oe of Lhem he wlll
have Lhe oly 3 wlves ad ca agal marry f wlLhouL dlvorclg
oe of Lhem he Lakes a flfLh wlfe Lhere should be a lrregularlLy
Accordlg Lo Lhe Shlas Lhe marrlage wlLh Lhe flfLh wlfe ls vold lf
Lhere are already four wlves
8ar of un|awfu| con[unct|on Pe has already a wlfe who ls
relaLed Lo Lhe brlde as slsLer or auL or lece Pavlg regard Lo Lhe
relaLloshlp Lhere could oL have bee a valld marrlage beLwee
LhaL wlfe ad Lhls brlde assumlg LhaL oe of Lhem had bee a
male @wo wome Lhus relaLed should oL be wlves of a
Mohameda aL Lhe same Llme @hls ls Lhe bar of ulawful
co[ucLlo f course lf he dlvorces Lhe wlfe who ls l ulawful
co[ucLlo Lhls lrregularlLy wlll o loger vlLlaLe Lhe marrlage
Sh|a's Law
A Shla ca marry hls wlfe's auL Pe caoL marry Lhe wlfe's lece
ecepL wlLh hls wlfe's permlsslo oLher cases Lhe law of ulawful
co[ucLlo reders Lhe marrlage vold
Lffect of d|fference of re||g|on Pe ls oL a musllm f course
he cam become a coverL Lo slam ad remove Lhls lrregularlLy
Amog Shlas such a marrlage ls vold

Cn the br|de's s|de the fo||ow|ng d|squa||f|cat|on are note
worthy
She ls udergolg lddaL slam lddah or lddaL (perlod of
walLlg) ls Lhe perlod a woma musL observe afLer Lhe deaLh of
her spouse or afLer a dlvorce durlg whlch she may oL marry
aoLher ma
4
A wldow (wheLher or oL her marrlage was
cosummaLed) has Lo remal l secluslo for 4 moLhs ad 10
days from Lhe deaLh of her husbad f she ls pregaL aL Lhe Llme
of Lhe husbad's deaLh ad does oL dellvery durlg Lhls perlod
lddaL lasLs uLll dellvery uurlg Lhe perlod of lddaL a woma
should oL remarry A dlvorced woma whose marrlage had bee
cosummaLed le who had seual lLercourse wlLh Lhe husbad
should observe secluslo for Lhree luar moLhs f she ls sub[ecL
Lo mesLruaLlo Lhe perlod ls Lhree mesLrual courses ddaL
eed oL be observed by a woma whose marrlage LermlaLed by
dlvorce lf Lhe marrlage had oL bee cosummaLed L ls obvlous
LhaL Lhe observace of lddaL ls prlmarlly for ascerLallg wheLher
Lhe woma ls pregaL or oL Marrlage wlLh a woma whlle she
ls observlg lddaL ls lrregular Amog Shlas such a marrlage ls vold
lf Lhe perso marrylg kows LhaL she ls observlg lddaL
Lffect of d|fference of re||g|on She ls oL a Musllm A Sul
Musllm male may valldly marry eve a oMohameda klLabla
(ChrlsLla woma or [ew) ad a Shla Musllm may do so provlded
Lhe marrlage ls a muLLa (Lemporary) marrlage A Musllm male
caoL valldly marry a oklLabla (eg a ldolaLress such as a
Pldu woma) Amog shlas such a marrlage ls vold @he Suls

4
sposlLo !oh ed (2003) ddah @he ford ulcLloary of slam ford ulverslLy 9ress S8n 0193123384
Lake a more leleL vlew ad regard lL ls a lrregular marrlage
@he woma may aL LhaL Llme embrace slam ad cure Lhls
lrregularlLy @lll Lhe Lhe marrlage would be lrregular amog
Suls

@o coclude Lhe esseLlals of a valld Mahomeda marrlage are
Lhe presece of coLracLual capaclLy ad arragemeL ad Lhe
absece of (l) prohlblLed degree of relaLloshlp ad (ll) cerLal
lrregularlLles

A spec|a| note on Smt Sara|a Mudga| v Un|on of Ind|a
S

CerLal lmporLaL quesLlos arose before Lhe Supreme CourL a
hereuder
(l) f a Pldu afLer embraclg slam marrles for secod Llme
wlLhouL Lhe dlssoluLlo of flrsL marrlage s such marrlage
valld?
(ll) WheLher such aposLaLe would be gullLy of Lhe offece of
8lgamy uder s494 of Lhe dla 9eal Code 1860
@he Supreme CourL held LhaL Lhe secod marrlage of Lhe
Pldu husbad afLer hls coverslo ls vold ad Lhe aposLaLe
husbad ls gullLy of blgamy uder s494 of 9C @he Supreme
CourL opled LhaL udergolg secod marrlage afLer
coverslo Lo slam ls LravesLy of aLural [usLlce ad as such
would be vold As a oblLer dlcLa
6
Lhe Supreme CourL has
educed Lhe 9rlme MllsLer Lo have a fresh look aL oe of Lhe
ulrecLlve 9rlclples of SLaLe 9ollcy uder Lhe CosLlLuLlo

3
A8 1993 SC 1331
6
A oblLer dlcLum ls a remark or observaLlo made by a [udge LhaL alLhough lcluded l Lhe body of Lhe courLs
opllo does oL form a ecessary parL of Lhe courLs declslo
(ArL44) Lo secure ulform Clvll Code @he sald poslLlo ls
reafflrmed by Supreme CourL l Llly @homas v ulo of
dla
7


(|||) Vo|d or 8at|| Marr|age A marrlage whlch ls ulawful from lLs
begllg L does oL creaLe ay clvll rlghLs or obllgaLlos beLwee Lhe
parLles @he offsprlg of a vold marrlage ls llleglLlmaLe @hey are
ouLcome of
(a) Marrlage Lhrough forced coseL
(b) 9lurallLy of husbad
(c) Marrlage prohlblLed o Lhe groud of cosagullLy
(d) Marrlage prohlblLed o Lhe groud of affllLy
(e) Marrlage prohlblLed o Lhe groud of fosLerage
Conc|us|on
Marrlage ls a rellglous duLy of every Musllm ad lL ls cosldered Lo be a
moral safeguard ad a soclal eed @he 9ropheL has also sald Marrlage
ls my LradlLlo whosoever keeps away Lhere from ls oL from amogsL
me"
ullke Pldu where Lhe marrlage ls a sacrameL marrlages l Musllms
have a aLure of clvll coLracL Marrlage ls ecessary for Lhe
leglLlmlzaLlo of a chlld Whe Lhe marrlage ls doe l accordace Lo
Lhe prescrlbed orms lL creaLes varlous rlghLs ad obllgaLlos o boLh
Lhe parLles

7
A8 2000 SC 1630
8I8LICGkAn
8ooks
O lamlly Law l dla by CCvSubba 8ao's
O 8edefllg lamlly Law l dla by Archaa 9arashar AmlLa
uhada
O kusum lamlly Law LecLures lamlly Law
O Law of Marrlage ad ulvorce l dla
8988
Webs|tes
O wwwldlakaoocom
O wwwwlklpedlacom
O wwwlegalservlcesldlacom
O hLLp//wwwlegalservlceldlacom/arLlcle/l162CocepLof
MarrlagelMusllmLawhLml
O hLLp//wwwlawyersclubldlacom/eperLs