The member of the sikh community can soon register their marriage under the Anand Marriage Act in Delhi and this act is all set to be implemented in Delhi this week.Disclosing this in a statement released here today, the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) General Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that he had taken up the matter with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Mr. Anil Baijal and apprised him of the status of the act passed by the President and lack of its implementation in Delhi. He said that he was thankful to LG Mr. Baijal who understood the gravity of the situation and ordered its implementation immediately.He said that file regarding implementation of the act was sent by LG office to Divisional Commissioner now it has been sent to Secretary Law after approval and Secretary Law is likely to clear the file in next two days and sent it back to LG. He said that after the approval of LG act will come into force in Delhi.He said that with this a more than century old demand of the Sikhs will be fulfilled.
He disclosed that it was in year 1909 when the demand for act had been made up for the first time. He said that a long battle had to be fought for enacting this act and its implementation. He said that in year 2012 then President Mrs. Pratibha Devi Singh Patil had cleared Anand Marriage (amendment) act and all the states were asked to implement it.Mr. Sirsa said that now he was taking up the issue of its implementation with the Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries of different states and also written letters to them. He said that yesterday he had met Assam Chief Minister Mr. Sarbanand Sonowal had assured him that this act will be implemented in Assam soon. He said that this act has already been implemented in Haryana and Punjab. Sirsa said that lack of awareness was becoming a hindrance in implementation of the act. He said that now the members of the sikh community are being made aware that this act has already been enacted and implemented and they should register their marriages under the act only.The DSGMC General Secretary also said that biggest problem was being faced by the Non Resident Indians (NRIs) who were facing harassment as they always mentioned their religion as sikh but marriages were not registered under the act.