Besides recommending compulsory registration of marriages to curb NRI men from deserting their wives, the inter-ministerial sub committee of the Overseas Indian Affairs and Women and Child Development Ministries has also proposed that a uniform proforma be necessarily filled at the time of marriage.

The proforma will include details of the spouse’s profession, workplace address, passport number, identity card, labour card, income, marital status and social security number. The recommendations, which have been forwarded to the Ministry of Law and Justice, are likely to be part of a proposed Act which is being given final touches by the Law Ministry.

“We are being flooded with requests from women seeking to know the whereabouts of their NRI husbands. Marriages are taking place without carrying out even any basic check about the grooms. We hope that compulsory marriage registration along with a mandatory proforma will protect the rights of women, particularly in marriages with NRIs,” said an official in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.

The inter-ministerial committee has also recommended that fast track courts take up litigations related to NRI marriages. The committee has also mooted a mechanism to monitor pending NRI cases in the country, besides recommending that provisions on serving notices, summons, and enforcement of maintenance orders be part of the mutual legal assistance treaties with other countries. The committee also wants to bring out an information brochure on private international law to be followed by the general public regarding serving of notices, summons to parties living abroad.

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