Marriage registrars in West Bengal have expressed their approval of the state government’s recent decision to mandate biometrics for wedding registrations starting from November 1. This move aims to combat fake marriages and identity duplicity, providing a more secure and foolproof process. According to the updated system, marriages in Bengal will now require the fingerprints of the couple and their three witnesses.
Vivek Sharma, a city-based marriage registrar and advocate, commended the government’s initiative, emphasizing its potential to enhance the overall integrity of the registration process. Animesh Chakraborty, another registrar, welcomed the mandatory biometrics, noting its positive impact in reducing the influence of long-standing touts. However, some registrars, including Nikhila Nair, expressed concerns about technical glitches in the dedicated portal designed for this purpose.
Nair, while appreciating the identity theft and impersonation prevention aspects, urged the government to address the portal’s technical drawbacks. Diptarka Basu, Register General of Marriage of West Bengal Judicial Department, mentioned that as of now, they have not received any complaints about portal issues. The amendment to marriage rules in 2022 makes biometrics compulsory for marriage applications and registrations, specifically under the Hindu Marriage Act of 1954 and the Special Marriage Act, 1954.
