Internatioan film festival in Magnaluru
Manglauru: Nitte (deemed-to-be) University has organised a four-day Nitte International Film Festival at Bharath Cinemas here which will begin from Monday.
The film festival will showcase critically acclaimed films from across the country and the world. About 60 films in various languages will be screened.
Three screens at Bharath Cinemas would be dedicated to the festival on all four days, a release said.
The festival would be inaugurated by film-maker and theatre person M. Sadananda Suvarna. The national award-winning Hindi film Mukti Bhawan (2016, Special Jury Award) would be screened.
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Karnataka High Court stays government order allowing Waqf Board to issue marriage certificates
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has stayed a Government Order (GO) issued on August 30, 2023, which authorised the Karnataka State Board of Waqf and its district officers to issue marriage certificates to Muslim couples.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind observed that the GO is inconsistent with the provisions of the Waqf Act, 1995, which does not empower the Waqf Board or its officers to issue marriage certificates. The Bench stated, "Issuance of marriage certificates is neither a matter of better administration of the Waqf Board nor incidental to its management."
The interim order was passed during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Alam Pasha, challenging the GO issued by the Under Secretary of the Minority, Waqf, and Haj Department. The petitioner argued that the Waqf Act pertains to the management of moveable and immoveable properties and does not include provisions related to marriage certificates.
Previously, under the now-repealed Kazi Act, 1988, Kazis officiating Muslim marriages were authorised to issue marriage certificates. The petitioner contended that with the repeal of the Kazi Act in 2013, there is no legal basis for the Waqf Board to assume this role. Instead, marriage registrations are governed by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, or the Special Marriage Act, 1954, under the jurisdiction of district or State Registrars of Marriages.
The State government defended the GO, citing the difficulties faced by Muslim couples, especially those travelling abroad, in obtaining marriage certificates. However, the Court noted that administrative convenience cannot override the statutory limitations of the Waqf Act.
Notices have been issued to the Waqf Board, and the matter is scheduled for further hearing on December 7, 2024.
Advocate Saraswathi M appeared for the petitioner, while Additional Government Advocate Niloufer Akbar represented the State government.
