Gandhinagar: Amid growing incidents of elopement and the resulting social concerns, leaders of the Patidar quota agitation (2015/2016) made a representation to the government today, urging major reforms in the marriage registration process. After the meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, community leader Dinesh Bambhaniya stated that the government has assured that it will take stringent action in the matter and reform the law to address these issues.

Quota agitation leaders, including Dinesh Bambhaniya and Varun Patel, met Sanghavi and two major issues were reportedly stated before him, including reforms in marriage-registration procedures—especially concerning runaway or love marriages—and the implementation of Economic Weaker Section (EWS) reservation in local body elections.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Dinesh Bambhaniya said, “For a long time, there has been a demand that the government create a law that ensures the safety and confidence of parents in cases of elopement marriages. Today, the government has assured us that a law will be framed soon on the issues we raised. The main point is that the marriage registration of a daughter or son must take place only at the address mentioned on the daughter’s Aadhaar card. Whether the marriage is registered under the Hindu Marriage Act or the Special Marriage Act, parents must be given adequate time and notice to raise objections based on the documents submitted for registration. The responsibility to identify and verify such objections should be assigned to a Class-II officer at the taluka level, such as a Deputy Mamlatdar or a Taluka Development Officer.”

“Additionally, details of online registration should be submitted, and all marriage registrations must be conducted online,” he added.

“The fourth issue we raised is that many recent cases have emerged where certain talatis have been falsely registering bogus marriages using their own signatures. This has become a widespread racket across Gujarat. In our presence today, the Home Minister instructed the DG office and the police department to immediately arrest all such individuals, file serious complaints against them, and take action to stop this bogus marriage registration racket operating across the state,” the Patidar leader further said.

Another significant topic discussed was the extension of EWS reservation to local self-government (LSG) bodies. Currently, EWS reservation is applicable only in education and government jobs.

Varun Patel stated that the government has agreed to study the Zaveri Commission report along with related High Court and Supreme Court observations. A petition on the issue is already pending before the High Court, with preparations underway for a possible appeal in the Supreme Court as well.

Quota agitation leaders expressed optimism that EWS reservation for local body elections could be implemented before the upcoming polls. DeshGujarat