Uttar Pradesh's lone Muslim minister fails to get marriage certificate

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Lucknow: The lone Muslim minister in Uttar Pradesh, Mohsin Raza, on Friday submitted a fresh application for registration of his marriage as he failed to present himself in the court and collect the certificate within the stipulated 90 days.

"We were unable to collect the marriage registration certificate within 90 days of applying for registration as a result of which it stood null and void," Raza told PTI.

He said he submitted a repeat affidavit today.

Raza, 49, said that according to rules, both husband and wife have to be physically present in the court to collect the certificate.

"Generally during Moharram, which is a mourning period, we abstain from doing anything auspicious," he said, dismissing as baseless reports that his marriage registration has been cancelled.

Additional district magistrate (Trans-Gomti) Anil Kumar said the minister had failed to collect the certificate within the 90-day period even though he was given reminders over phone.

Raza, who has been married for about 16 years, had got his marriage registered on August 3 this year after the Yogi Adityanath government made it compulsory for all marriages to be registered.

He filed his papers two days after the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet gave its nod to the UP Marriage Registration Guidelines (2017), that makes registration mandatory for marriages in all religions.

His "court marriage" had taken place amid media glare with his family members standing by his side apparently to set an example before Muslims, who had been opposing the government decision.

Raza reached the district magistrate's office with his wife Fauzia Sarwar Fatima and parents to get his marriage registered.

Some Muslim groups had been opposing the decision, saying their 'nikahnama' was already a certification of marriage.

Clerics, including those at the Islamic seminary Darul- uloom Deoband, have termed it unnecessary "since nikahnama is a valid form of marriage registration".

However, the president of the All-India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB), Shaista Amber, had said the move would not only minimise the cases of fraud but would also add social security to the people.

The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had also supported the decision.