My name is Rohan S (Age: 25 years, Religion: Hindu) and I am a resident of Mumbai. I seek information on the Special Marriage Act and I would be glad if you could help me out.
The girl I intend to marry (Age 24 years, Religion: Christian) is a resident of Kerala. As per my understanding of the Special Marriage Act of India, we have to register at the Registrar of Marriage with documents related to age & address proofs and photographs. After this, a notice is displayed for a month till the end of which a person can object to the marriage. A notice is also sent to the residence of the couple intending to marry and also published in leading newspapers. After the end of the month, the marriage can be solemnized at the office of the Registrar in front of three witnesses.
My queries with respect to the Act are:
1) Do both, the boy & the girl, need to be present at the time of registration? Both will be present at solemnization ofcourse.
2) Can we avoid the notice being sent to the residence of the boy & girl or being published in newspapers?
3) On what grounds can the marriage be objected to?
4) Do we need a proof of religion/caste?
5) Would only the boy's address proof enough? Or do we need both the boy's & girl's address proofs?
6) On a practical level, how easy is it to get the required appointments with the Registrar of Marriage in Mumbai?
PS: If any lawyer in Mumbai can help us getting married for a nominal fee, please reply to this message.