The Central Government has officially implemented the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 in Sikkim from June 1, 2026. With this move, the Sikh community will no longer need to rely on the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 for legal recognition of marriages.
The Act was originally introduced in 1909 to provide legal validity to the Sikh marriage ceremony known as “Anand Karaj.” In 2012, Parliament amended the law and allowed states to create separate rules for the registration of Sikh marriages.
However, due to the absence of local rules in Sikkim, Sikh couples were earlier forced to register their marriages under the Hindu Marriage Act. In September 2025, the Supreme Court of India directed states to frame the necessary regulations in the case of Amanjot Singh Chaddha vs Union of India. Following the order, Sikkim introduced the “Sikkim Anand Karaj Registration Rules, 2026.”
Under the new rules, couples must submit an Anand Karaj certificate issued by a Gurudwara or authorized Granthi, along with age proof, residence proof, and two witnesses for marriage registration. Once registered under this law, no separate registration under any other marriage law will be required.
The decision is being seen as a major step toward strengthening the religious and cultural identity of the Sikh community in India.