Section 26 of The Foreign Marriage Act, 1969
Correction of errors.
- (1)Any Marriage Officer who discovers any error in the form or substance of any entry in the Marriage Certificate Book may, within one month next after the discovery of such error, in the presence of the persons married, or, in case of their death or absence, in the presence of two other witnesses, correct the error by entry in the margin without any alteration of the original entry and add thereto the date of such correction.
- (2)Every correction made under this section shall be attested by the witnesses in whose presence it was made.
Summary
- A Marriage Officer can correct errors found in the form or substance of a marriage entry.
- The correction must be made within one month after the error is discovered.
- The original entry cannot be altered, so the correction must be written in the margin.
- The officer must add the date of the correction to the margin.
- The married persons must be present for the correction, or if they are dead or absent, two other witnesses must be present.
- The witnesses who are present must attest the correction.
Practical examples
FAQ
1. Can a Marriage Officer completely erase a mistake in the marriage book?
No, the original entry cannot be altered. All corrections must be made by an entry in the margin.
2. How much time does the Marriage Officer have to fix a mistake?
The officer has one month from the time the error is discovered to make the correction.
3. What happens if the married couple cannot be there when the mistake is fixed?
If the married persons are dead or absent, the correction can be made in the presence of two other witnesses.
4. Do the people watching the correction need to do anything?
Yes, every correction must be attested by the witnesses in whose presence it was made.
Test yourself
1.Under Section 26 of The Foreign Marriage Act, 1969, how long does a Marriage Officer have to correct an error in the Marriage Certificate Book?
2.Under Section 26 of The Foreign Marriage Act, 1969, how must the Marriage Officer physically record the correction of an error?
3.Under Section 26 of The Foreign Marriage Act, 1969, who must be present if a correction is made and the married persons are dead or absent?
4.Under Section 26 of The Foreign Marriage Act, 1969, what additional information must be added to the margin along with the corrected error?