Congress MLA tables private member's bill to discourage lavish weddings

BENGALURU: Congress MLA and former Speaker Ramesh Kumar has tabled a private member's bill in Karnataka Assembly which seeks to discourage lavish weddings and reform the legal framework for the institution of marriage.

In May last year, the Siddaramaiah government planned to introduce a law by bringing in an amendment to the existing Karnataka Marriages (Registration and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1976.

The government planned to levy tax on people spending over Rs five lakh for holding marriage ceremonies.

However, the idea of levying taxes on extravagant and lavish weddings was dropped after civil society strongly opposed such a move.

Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa has promised a comprehensive debate on the issue.

The Bill envisages a bar on number of invitees, and parents overspending on marriages will be penalised.

The Karnataka State Marriages (Registration and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 2015, envisages levying fines on lavish weddings, fixing maximum rent of Rs 50,000 a day for marriage halls, owners of halls to obtain licence from local bodies.

Invitees to the marriage should not be more than 300.