The Khasi Students’ Union has sought the Meghalaya government’s intervention to address the issue of increased divorce cases in the state as they felt it leads to trafficking.
In a meeting with chief minister Conrad K. Sangma in New Delhi, the union’s Delhi unit briefed him about the recent case of trafficking involving young women from the state allegedly trafficked to the national capital.
The union urged the chief minister to take long-term measures to curb trafficking. It also asked Conrad to take steps to address the rising divorce rates, which it said, was at an “alarming pace”.
Conrad was urged to implement the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act. The Meghalaya Assembly passed the legislation in September 2012, making it mandatory for married couples to furnish certificates for all official purposes.
In 2017, the Assembly had passed the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage (Amendment) Bill to ensure that the provision is also applicable to parties not covered by their personal laws.
The personal laws include the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872, the Hindu Marriage Act 1955, the Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936 and others.
According to the union, the chief minister expressed concern over the issues raised and assured that the women empowerment and related issues will be given due importance in the next budget session.
Groups like the Maitshaphrang, led by Michael Syiem, have been batting for a strong compulsory registration or marriage law to curb the predominance of broken families.