Section 7 Hindu Marriage Act-Dhara-Ceremonies for a Hindu marriage

Section 7 Hindu Marriage Act-Ceremonies for a Hindu marriage:

(1) A Hindu marriage may be solemnized in accordance with the customary rites and ceremonies of either party thereto.

(2) Where such rites and ceremonies include the saptpadi (that is, the taking of seven steps by the bridegroom and the bride jointly before the sacred fire), the marriage becomes complete and binding when the seventh step is taken.

State Amendments

Section 7A

Pondicherry :

After section 7, insert the following section, namely:—

(a) by each party to the marriage declaring in any language understood by the parties that each takes the other to be his wife or, as the case may be, her husband; or

(b) by each party to the marriage garlanding the other or putting a ring upon any finger of the other; or

(c) by the tying of the thali.

(2) (a) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 7, but subject to the other provisions of this Act, all marriages to which the section applies solemnised after the commencement of the Hindu Marriage (Madras Amendment) Act, 1967, shall be good and valid in law.

(b) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 7 or in any text, rule or interpretation of Hindu law or any custom or usage as part of that law in force immediately before the commencement of the Hindu Marriage (Madras Amendment) Act, 1967, or in any other law in force immediately before such commencement or in any judgment, decree or order of any court, but subject to sub-section (3) all marriages to which this section applies solemnised at any time, before such commencement shall be deemed to have been, with effect on and from the date of the solemnisation of each such marriage, respectively, good and valid in law.

(3) Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to—

(a) render valid any marriage referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (2), if before the commencement of the Hindu Marriage (Madras Amendment) Act, 1967,—

(i) such marriage has been dissolved under any custom or law; or

(ii) the woman who was a party to such marriage has, whether during or after the life of the other party thereto, lawfully married another; or

(b) render invalid a marriage between any two Hindus solemnised at any time before such commencement, if such marriage was valid at that time; or

(c) render valid a marriage between any two Hindus solemnised at any time before such commencement, if such marriage was invalid at that time on any ground other than that it was not solemnised in accordance with the customary rites and ceremonies of either party thereto:

Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any person liable to any punishment whatsoever by reason of anything done or omitted to be done by him before such commencement.

(4) Any child of the parties to a marriage referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (2) born of such marriage shall be deemed to be their legitimate child:

Provided that in a case falling under sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) of clause (a) of sub-section (3), such child was begotten before the date of the dissolution of the marriage or, as the case may be, before the date of the second of the marriages referred to in the said sub-clause (ii)."

[Vide Tamil Nadu Act 21 of 1967, sec. 2 (w.e.f. 20-1-1968).]