Cracking down on love jihad, Gujarat’s government has unveiled transformative updates to marriage laws, ensuring parents are looped in before any union is formalized. The proposal, presented by Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi on February 20, 2026, amends the Gujarat Marriage Registration Act of 2006.
At the heart of the changes is a required affidavit from couples attesting to parental awareness. Extensive parental data—names, addresses, Aadhaar, mobiles—must accompany applications. Registrars will promptly inform guardians via modern communication tools in under 10 working days.
Certificates will now take 30-40 days, facilitating objections and probes. Digital uploads are standard, with witness verification via photos and IDs heightened.
Sanghvi passionately defended the reforms as essential for upholding daughters’ dignity and cultural heritage, branding deceptive practices—like fake name adoptions—as invasive assaults. Enforcement will be rigorous, he assured.
This comes against recent Gujarat scandals of women enticed away interstate. Maharashtra’s rising voices for similar safeguards highlight a regional trend, as authorities prioritize prevention over cure in protecting young hearts and homes.