Sikkim to implement Anand Marriage Act from June 1, Sikh couples can register marriages under traditional rituals

The Centre has notified that the Anand Marriage Act, which allows Sikh couples to register marriages solemnised under traditional Anand Karaj ceremonies, will come into force in Sikkim from June 1, according to an official notification issued by the Union Law Ministry.

With the move, members of the Sikh community in Sikkim will now be able to directly register marriages conducted under the traditional Anand Karaj ceremony.

Until now, Sikh couples in the state were required to register their marriages under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, for legal recognition.

The notification, issued on May 14, stated that the Central Government has appointed June 1, 2026, as the date on which the provisions of the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, will officially come into force in Sikkim.

The ministry said the state government had framed and notified the official Sikkim Anand Marriage Registration Rules, 2026, to facilitate implementation of the law.

The development follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling in September 2025 in the Amanjit Singh Chadha vs Union of India case, which urged administrative loopholes in the implementation of the law to be addressed.

The Anand Marriage Act was amended in 2012 to introduce mechanisms for registration of Sikh marriages performed under Anand Karaj rites. However, several states, including Sikkim, had not framed rules for implementation.

The Supreme Court had earlier directed states to formulate the required rules, observing that the absence of such provisions forced Sikh couples to register marriages under broader Hindu marriage laws.