Online marriage registration begins in Bengaluru on a pilot basis; to be extended across State soon

Karnataka government launches online marriage registration and property certificate application services, reducing the need for physical visits.

In what could bring significant relief to citizens, the Karnataka government on Thursday (February 15) launched the facility for online registration of marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and also the online application process for marriages to be registered under the Special Marriage Act, 1954.

The facility was launched on a pilot basis at the Malleshwaram sub-registrar office on Thursday by Revenue Minster Krishna Byre Gowda. Two online registrations of marriages took place as scheduled on Thursday. It will be extended to all sub-registrar’s offices across the State before the end of this month.

Those wishing to provide Aadhaar authentication can complete the process from home, while those who don’t do the Aadhaar authentication can register their marriage by visiting the sub-registrar’s office.

In another major change brought in the system, the process of application for registering marriages under the Special Marriages Act has been made online. After providing all the necessary documents online, a visit to the sub-registrar’s office will only be for registration.

Among other online facilities that the Minister launched is applying and receiving encumbrance certificates of properties registered before 2004. Earlier, the EC application had to be made at the sub-registrar’s office that would issue physical certificates. Now, the application for EC and payment of fee can be made online, and the EC will be sent to the user login, and people do not have to visit the office physically.

In another measure, the certified copies of property documents for 150 years will also be made available online. In a similar process to the EC, the public can apply for certified copies online and the copies will be sent to the user login. An official said the certified copies of properties registered since 1857 will be available. In another new initiative, farmers can get encumbrance certificates for their agricultural land online. The GIS-based mapping will help uploading of details of land automatically.

In a bid to reduce the inconvenience to the public with respect to mistakes in documents, under valuation of properties, wrong usage of legal terms and other problems that required running around government offices to rectify, the State government has introduced online pre-registration checks.