The Arya Marriage Validation Act, 1937 (Act No. XIX of 1937)

Updated: Saturday August 15, 2015/AsSabt Thoul Ki'dah 01, 1436/Sanivara Sravana 24, 1937, at 12:51:53 PM

The Arya Marriage Validation Act, 1937

¹ACT No. XIX OF 1937

[14th April, 1937]

An Act to recognise and remove doubts as to the validity of intermarriages current among Arya Samajists.

WHEREAS it is expedient to recognise and place beyond doubt the validity of inter‑marriages of a class of Hindus known as Arya Samajists ; It is hereby enacted as follows:---

1. Short title and extent.^__ (1) This Act may be called the Arya Marriage Validation Act, 1937.

²[(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan and applies also to all citizens of Pakistan wherever they may be.]

2. Marriage between Arya Samajists not to be invalid. Notwithstanding any provision of Hindu Law, usage or custom to the contrary no marriage contracted whether before or after the commencement of this Act between two persons being at the time of the marriage Arya Samajists shall be invalid or shall be deemed ever to have been invalid by reason only of the fact that the parties at any time belonged to different castes or different sub-castes of Hindus or that either or both of the parties at any time before the marriage belonged to a religion other than Hinduism.

¹For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Gazette of India, 1935, Pt. V, p. 132; and for Report of Select Committee, see ibid., 1936, Pt. V, p, 306. The Act has been applied to Balochistan, see Gazette of India, 1938, Pt. I, p. 1371.

²Subs. by the Central Laws (Statute Reform) Ordinance, 1960 (21 of 1960), s. 3. and 2nd Sch. (with effect from the 14th October, 1955), for the original sub‑section (2), as amended by the Repealing and Amending Act, 1940 (32 of 1940), s. 3 and Sch. and A.O.O., 1949.