In the simplest words possible, Yes, inter-caste marriage is completely legal in India, only if both the partners in the marriage are legally adults. On top of that, the Indian government is also supporting inter-caste marriages, we’ll go over that as well. So keep on reading.
The Legal Lowdown on Inter-Caste Marriages in India
The best aspect is that in India, inter-caste marriages are 100% legal, no doubt about that at all. The Constitution of India, the supreme law of the land, says that every person is equal. Also, the Constitution declares that no person shall be treated differently due to their caste, you know? This gives you the right to marry whom you like without regard for his/her caste status. The Constitution lays down provisions such as Articles 15 and 21 which are aimed at safeguarding your liberty to select your partner without the incidence of any bias.
There is also a law called the Special Marriage Act, of 1954 which is a special law for sure. This piece of legislation was passed to help people who want to marry outside their caste or faith. According to this law, you and your partner can sign on the Local Government Office which makes the marriage official. The procedure is straightforward: you give a notice that you wish to get married, wait for 30 days to see any objection, and then you can go back to the office again to receive a legal marriage certificate. That’s all.
The Supreme Court of India, the highest court in the land, has also said that intermarriage between castes is not just a legal act but also a good thing for the country. The Court also promotes inter-caste marriages as they make the barriers put up by the caste system collapse.
Government Initiatives and Support
Believe it or not, the Indian government, together with some state governments, is backing inter-caste marriages financially, and that’s a fact not a lot of people know about right here in India. In fact, the couple will receive Rs. 2.5 lakh from the central government, if one of the partners in the marriage belongs to a Scheduled Caste. Yes, that’s right, they are actually ready to hand out cash to promote inter-caste marriages and combat the social norms. The deal is so sweet in some states such as Uttar Pradesh that additional cash incentives are also provided so that newlyweds can have an excellent financial first step, you know?
That’s not it though, various campaigns have been conducted by the government and social organizations to publicize the issue with an aim to change the public opinion towards inter-caste marriages. The planned campaigns are set to create a change in mindset and engage in activities that reframe inter-caste arrangements as something normal. And in 2024, sure there are many organizations, politicians, and big celebrities coming forward to promote this on a big scale, and that is how we can fight the too much strictness regarding inter-caste marriages which has been going on for literally centuries in India.
