The government of Gujarat, a western Indian state, has announced plans to amend its marriage registration law to prevent alleged fraudulent marriages involving concealed identities, often referred to as 'love jihad'. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi made the announcement in the state assembly on Friday, stating that the initiative aims to protect women from deception. Under the proposed changes, both bride and groom must submit proof of parental consent and provide detailed information about their parents, including names, phone numbers, and addresses.

The draft amendment requires assistant registrars to notify the parents of both parties within ten days of receiving a marriage registration application. The application will then be forwarded to the relevant district registrar’s office, where verification will be completed within one month. Sanghavi said details of the new law will be published on an official government website currently under development. He emphasized that the goal is to safeguard traditional marriage practices and ensure women’s safety.

The amendment is being introduced under the Gujarat Marriage Registration Act of 2006. Sanghavi also mentioned reports of fake marriage certificates and marriages conducted under false identities, even in villages without Muslim populations. Public feedback was collected over a 30-day period before drafting the proposal.