Lucknow High Court rules Arya Samaj certificates insufficient to prove Hindu marriage

The Lucknow Bench of the High Court has ruled that a marriage certificate issued by an Arya Samaj temple alone is insufficient to prove a valid marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act. The court emphasized that for a marriage to be legally recognized under the Act, evidence must be provided showing that the essential matrimonial rites and ceremonies, such as Saptapadi, were performed.

This ruling came while the court was hearing a petition by Rohit Pandey, an officer of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), who challenged his dismissal from service. Pandey had been dismissed following allegations that he made a false declaration regarding his marital status during his appointment. The dismissal was initiated after a complaint by Sucheta Tiwari, who claimed she had married Pandey at an Arya Samaj temple in 2007.

Pandey contested the claim, stating that no essential Hindu marriage rituals had taken place. He also cited a statement from a criminal case in which Tiwari reportedly admitted that the marriage was not conducted according to Hindu customs. Justice Rajiv Singh subsequently set aside the order of dismissal.