Bengaluru: Now, Marriage Certificates can be obtained at local Gram Panchayats and an order to this effect has been officially issued by the State Government.

The Government has given the authority to issue Marriage Certificates to the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj where the local Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) is given the authority of registration of marriages and issuance of Marriage Certificates.

Till now, marriage registrations were done at the Sub-Registrar Offices. The couple used to register their marriage at the Sub-Registrar Office in the limits of their residences or the place they got married by obtaining relevant applications from the office or downloading the same from the respective website. 

After filling the form, three friends or relatives were required to sign as witnesses along with the signatures of the married couple after which the Sub-Registrar used to give his approval by signing the application form along with the office seal. Now, the Government has given the same authority to PDOs of the respective Gram Panchayats.