Church marriage certificate not valid for Aadhaar

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has sought the Centre’s response to a petition that highlights “challenges” faced by Christian women to change their name in the Aadhaar card as the marriage certificate issued by the church is not recognised as a valid document.
Justices Revati-Mohite Dere and Madhav Jamdar last week heard a petition by Maurissa Almeida (27), a Roman Catholic Christian. She married Swapnil on December 26, 2021 at Our Lady of Mercy Church, Vasai. On January 19 this year, a marriage certificate/extract from the parochial register was issued by the parish priest. The certificate was attested by chancellor, Vasai diocese, and thereafter notarised.
On January 31, the Christian marriage registrar at Mantralaya approved and stamped the certificate, as did the home department.
Her petition stated that on February 14, the Vasai Aadhaar centre refused to accept her form, saying the church marriage certificate “is not proper” and it does not approve it.
The staff said her options were to marry under the Special Marriage Act or in Mantralaya before the Christian marriage registrar or change her name in the official gazette.