23rd December, 2003

An Act further to amend the Special Marriage Act, 1954 and the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-fourth Year of the Republic of India as follows:--

CHAPTER 1 PRELIMINARY

Section 1 Short title

This Act may be called the Marriage Laws (Amendment) Act, 2003.

CHAPTER 2 AMENDMENTS TO THE SPECIAL MARRIAGE ACT, 1954

Section 2 Amendment of section 31

In the Special Marriage Act, 1954 (43 of 1954) (hereinafter referred to as the Special Marriage Act), in section 31, in sub-section (1), after clause (iii), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:-- "(iiia) in case the wife is the petitioner, where she is residing on the date of presentation of the petition; or".

Section 3 Amendment of section 39

Section In section 39 of the Special Marriage Act, in subsection (4), for the words "period of thirty days", the words "period of ninety days" shall be substituted.

CHAPTER 3 AMENDMENTS TO THE HINDU MARRIAGE ACT, 1955

Section 4 Amendment of section 19

In the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (25 of 1955) (hereinafter referred to as the Hindu Marriage Act) , in section 19, in sub-section (1), after clause (iii), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:-- "(iiia) in case the wife is the petitioner, where she is residing on the date of presentation of the petition, or".

Section 5 Amendment of section 28

Section In section 28 of the Hindu Marriage Act, in subsection (4), for the words "period of thirty days", the words "period of ninety days" shall be substituted.

CHAPTER 3 MISCELLANEOUS