Date of birth and other details should be on marriage-cards – Accountability and transparency required in marriage-related expenses

Bureau,Odishabarta

Rajasthan:A District Collector of Bharatpur (Rajasthan) in the year 2012 made it compulsory to print dates of birth on marriage-cards, making it mandatory for printing-presses to first getting attested birth-certificates. Such and other noble ideas should be rather made compulsory all over the country for an effective check on marriage-related social evils. An estimated outlay of marriage-expenditure mentioning number of guests should also be printed on marriage-cards. System will avoid demanding huge compensation by bride-side in case of after-marriage disputes.

List of gifts and cash-envelopes received or distributed on the occasions should be submitted to appropriate authorities within some stipulated time-period after marriage-functions are over. Supreme Court verdict dated 12.07.2018 asked central government to consider making it compulsory for families to disclose wedding expenditure by both sides of the families of bride and groom jointly to the marriage officer. Even a marriage-tax of say 10-percent can be imposed in case expenses cross rupees five lakhs by one side as was suggested in a private-member bill introduced in Lok Sabha in February 2017. It will check in aborting female foeticides which is done in fear of heavy expenses on marriages of girls in our dowry-addicted society.

Considering large-scale wastage of food-items in marriage-celebrations, some legislation like that of Guest Control Order 1960 should be there. Union government should study models of other countries like Pakistan where only soft drinks and beverages are allowed to be served in such functions. Even Afghanistan in earlier regime took measures to curb such mega-expenses on marriage-celebrations. Political rulers should avoid attend mega-budgeted marriage-functions.

Input;Ms.Madhu