In a pivotal ruling, the Allahabad High Court declared that interfaith marriages conducted without religious conversion are unlawful. This judgement came while hearing a case involving the alleged abduction and marriage of a minor girl at an Arya Samaj temple.
The petitioner, Sonu alias Sahnoor, sought the dismissal of criminal charges by claiming he had legally married the girl—now an adult—at an Arya Samaj Mandir. However, Justice Prashant Kumar rejected the plea, pointing out that the certificate was issued illegally, especially as the marriage involved a minor and lacked required legal compliance.
The court strongly criticised Arya Samaj temples for indiscriminately issuing marriage certificates—often for a fee—without verifying age, religion, or fulfilling legal procedures. A DCP-rank officer has been appointed to investigate such temples across Uttar Pradesh, and a report is expected by August 29.
The state argued that both individuals were from different religions and no conversion had occurred, making the marriage legally void. The FIR includes charges of kidnapping, rape, and POCSO violations.
Arya Samaj marriages, though simple and legal under the Hindu Marriage Act, require both individuals to be Hindu by faith or conversion. Yet courts have frequently ruled that Arya Samaj certificates alone are not sufficient legal proof of marriage. Multiple verdicts have clarified that such certificates must be supported by evidence and due solemnisation of rituals.
The court emphasized the need for regulation, citing concerns over exploitation, trafficking, and misuse of legal loopholes in such informal unions.