Himachal Pradesh HC rules birth registration cannot be denied for children of invalid marriages
In a recent judgment, the Himachal Pradesh High Court ruled that children should not be denied birth registration due to their parents’ unregistered or legally invalid marriage. Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua emphasized that a child’s rights must be considered independently of the legal status of their parents' relationship.
The court’s decision came in response to a petition filed by a woman on behalf of her three children. Despite being born to parents who lived as husband and wife since 2011, their marriage was deemed invalid due to the husband’s pre-existing marriage. The State authorities subsequently refused to register the births of the children under the Panchayat records.
Citing Section 16(3) of the Hindu Marriage Act, which states that a child born out of a null and void marriage is still considered legitimate, Justice Dua noted that the legal status of parents’ marriage should not affect a child's rights.
The court also pointed out that the Special Marriage Act and Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj General Rules do not prohibit birth registration for children from unregistered marriages.The court ruled in favor of registering the children’s births in the Panchayat records and directed the State to complete the registration promptly.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
