Anand Karaj Marriage Registration and Sikh Marriage Law

Sikh marriages solemnised by the Anand Karaj ceremony are valid under the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, and since 2012 that Act also provides for their registration. Here is how validity, registration and divorce fit together.

By TrueSaath · published 2026-10-22 · checked October 2026 · general information, not legal advice

The Anand Karaj ceremony

Anand Karaj, meaning blissful union, is the Sikh marriage ceremony. It takes place in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, usually at a gurdwara. Its heart is the four laavan: four hymns composed by Guru Ram Das are recited or sung, and during each the couple walk around Guru Granth Sahib, which together mark the union. The ceremony closes with Ardas and the distribution of Karah Prasad. Families and gurdwaras may have their own practices around it, and the Sikh Rehat Maryada sets out the accepted form.

The Anand Marriage Act, 1909

The Anand Marriage Act, 1909 was passed to remove doubts about the validity of the Anand ceremony. Section 2 declares that all marriages duly solemnised according to the Sikh marriage ceremony called Anand are, and always were, good and valid in law from the date they were solemnised. Section 3 says the Act does not apply to a marriage between persons not professing the Sikh religion, or to one already judicially declared void. A marriage between a Sikh and a person of another faith may therefore need a different law, usually the Special Marriage Act.

Separately, the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 applies to Sikhs as well as Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. That is why conditions such as the minimum ages (21 for the groom and 18 for the bride), the bar on a living spouse and the prohibited relationships under the HMA apply to Sikh marriages too.

Registration after the 2012 amendment

For decades the Anand Marriage Act had no registration provision, so Sikh couples registered under the HMA or under state compulsory registration laws. The Anand Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2012 inserted section 6, which requires state governments to make rules for registering Anand marriages and keeping a Marriage Register. Its key points:

the register is open for inspection and admissible as evidence, and the Registrar gives certified extracts to the couple on payment of the fees set by the rules;
failing to register does not affect the validity of an Anand marriage;
a couple whose marriage is registered under the Anand Marriage Act need not register it again under any other law, including a state Act;
the rules apply without prejudice to the HMA and other laws.

Some states and Union Territories have notified rules. Punjab notified the Punjab Anand Marriages Registration Rules, 2016, naming tehsildars and naib tehsildars as registrars, and Delhi notified its Anand Marriages Registration Rules in 2018. Several others had not done so for years.

The 2025 Supreme Court directions

In Amanjot Singh Chadha v. Union of India (September 2025), the Supreme Court directed every state and Union Territory that had not notified section 6 rules to do so within four months. Until they do, registering authorities must accept Anand Karaj marriages for registration under the existing marriage registration framework, without discrimination, and record on request that the marriage was solemnised by the Anand Karaj rite. No application for registration or a certified extract may be refused only because rules are not yet in place, and any refusal must be reasoned in writing. States that already have rules were told to publish their forms, fees, documents and timelines. The Court gave separate directions for Goa and Sikkim, where the Act had not been extended.

How to register in practice

If your state has Anand Marriage rules, apply to the registrar named in them, usually with the gurdwara's marriage certificate, proof of age and address, photographs and witnesses. If it does not, or you prefer, register under the HMA or your state's general law; see Hindu Marriage Act registration and your state's page in the registration guides. Both routes give a legally valid certificate. If you married years ago, registration after the wedding explains late registration.

Divorce and other remedies

The Anand Marriage Act does not provide for divorce. Divorce, judicial separation, nullity, maintenance and custody for Sikh couples are governed by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and related laws, so the guides to mutual consent divorce and contested divorce grounds apply. In Uttarakhand, the state's Uniform Civil Code has applied since 27 January 2025 to residents other than Scheduled Tribes.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and procedures change, and courts may read them differently in your facts. For your own situation, speak to a lawyer, or get free legal aid through your District Legal Services Authority or NALSA's toll-free legal aid helpline 15100. More guides are on our marriage law hub.

Registering the marriage?

The registration guides cover court marriage, documents and the office and portal in every state.

Marriage registration All marriage law

Questions people ask

Is an Anand Karaj marriage valid without registration?

Yes. Section 6(3) of the Anand Marriage Act says the validity of an Anand marriage is not affected by failure to enter it in the Marriage Register; registration is the official proof.

Can a Sikh couple register under the Hindu Marriage Act instead?

Yes. The Hindu Marriage Act applies to Sikhs, so registration under section 8 of the HMA or a state compulsory registration law gives a valid certificate.

Which states have Anand Marriage registration rules?

Punjab (2016) and Delhi (2018) are among those that have notified rules. In 2025 the Supreme Court directed the remaining states and Union Territories to notify them, so check your registrar for the current position.

What happens if my state has no Anand Marriage rules?

Under the Supreme Court's 2025 directions, the registrar must still register the marriage under the existing framework and may record the Anand Karaj rite on the certificate if you ask.

How do Sikh couples get a divorce in India?

Through the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, which covers Sikhs. The Anand Marriage Act itself has no divorce provisions.

Sources

Checked in October 2026. Laws, rules and court positions change; confirm the current position before acting on it.

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