Why is it in the news?
- Law Commission of India (LCI) submitted a report on “Law on Matrimonial Issues Relating to Non-Resident Indians (NRI) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI)”.
Key highlights of the report
- Lack of regulation: Absence of legislation governing marriages with NRIs and no central law mandating marriage registration.
- Rising trend of fraudulent matrimony: NRIs marrying Indians leaving spouses vulnerable to domestic violence, abandonment, and ex-parte divorce initiated without the knowledge/consent of the Indian spouse.
- Difficulty in legal assistance: Cross-border nature of marriages complicates seeking legal recourse for Indian spouses.
Proposed Recommendations
- Enact comprehensive law: Expand NRI Bill, 2019 to cover divorce, maintenance, and child support, applicable to OCIs and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) besides NRIs.
- Compulsory registration in India: Marriage registration to include detailed information for proper identification and tracking system; failure to register may incur fines or imprisonment.
- Law to have overriding effect on all other laws.
| About OCIs, PIOs, and NRIs
· NRIs: Indian citizens residing abroad. · OCIs and PIOs: Foreign citizens with recognized Indian origin, with certain privileges extended to them. · PIO and OCI Card Scheme merged in 2015; new PIO card issuance discontinued. |
