Section69
The Indian Christian Marriage Act

Solemnizing marriage out of proper time, or without witnesses

In force Act 15 of 1872 As on 21 Oct 2026

Read from the scanned gazette. India Code publishes no text for this Act, so the text below was read from the Government's own scan by machine and split into sections by its numbering. It has not been checked against the page word by word. Where it matters, read the scan. Read the scan.

Act 15 of 1872

This is a second copy of a Central Act. India Code files it on Punjab's shelf as well as under Parliament, and the text is the same enactment. Read it at The Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872, which is the record this site keeps current.

Read from the scanned gazette. India Code publishes no text for this Act, so this text was read from the Government's own scan by machine and split into sections by its numbering. It has not been checked against the page word by word. Where it matters, read the scan. Read the scan.

Section 69 of the Indian Christian Marriage Act deals with solemnizing marriage out of proper time, or without witnesses. Whoever knowingly and wilfully solemnizes a marriage between persons, one or both of whom is or are a Christian or Christians, at any time other than between the hours of six in the morning and seven in the evening, or in the absence of at least two credible witnesses other than the person solemnizi

Whoever knowingly and wilfully solemnizes a marriage between persons, one or both of whom is or are a Christian or Christians, at any time other than between the hours of six in the morning and seven in the evening, or in the absence of at least two credible witnesses other than the person solemnizing the marriage, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine. Saving of marriages solemnized under special licence .- This section does not apply to marriages solemnized under special licenses granted by the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese or by his Commissary, nor to marriages performed between the hours of seven in the evening and six in the morning by a Clergyman of the Church of Rome, when he has received the general or special license in that behalf mentioned in section 10. 5[Nor does this section apply to marriages solemnized by a Clergyman of the Church of Scotland according to the rules, rites, ceremonies and customs of the Church of Scotland.] 1. Act 25 of 1864 had been rep. by Act 5 of 1855, which was rep. by this Act. 2. Subs. by Act 2 of 1891, s. 5, for s. 66. 3. Subs. by s. 6, ibid., for s. 68. 4. Omitted by the A.O. 1950. 5. Ins. by Act 2 of 1891, s. 7.

Section 69, The Indian Christian Marriage Act (Act 15 of 1872).

Cross-references

Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.

Questions about Section 69

What does Section 69 of the Indian Christian Marriage Act deal with?

Section 69 of the Indian Christian Marriage Act is headed "Solemnizing marriage out of proper time, or without witnesses". Whoever knowingly and wilfully solemnizes a marriage between persons, one or both of whom is or are a Christian or Christians, at any time other than between the hours of six in the morning and seven in the evening, or in the absence of at least two credible witnesses other than the person solemnizi

How do I find court cases under Section 69 of the Indian Christian Marriage Act?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Indian Christian Marriage Act 69, section 69 Indian Christian Marriage Act, section 69 of the Indian Christian Marriage Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.

What should I read with Section 69 of the Indian Christian Marriage Act, and has it changed?

Its own text turns on section 10 (Time for solemnizing marriage), so none of them can safely be read on its own.

When was the Indian Christian Marriage Act enacted?

Indian Christian Marriage Act was enacted in 1872 as Act 15 of 1872. India Code records no commencement date for it. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Read from the Government's own scanned gazette with Azure Document Intelligence, then split into sections by their numbering. India Code publishes no text for this Act. The scan itself is mirrored into our own storage and served at /scan/06101987-5f84-465c-813d-0abe869e7682.pdf, so the reading here can be checked against the page it came from without depending on India Code's own copy staying where it is (it was at https://indiacode.gov.in/server/api/core/bitstreams/85b0a188-78bc-41d1-be0d-fd4e820f8780/content). This page is not a substitute for legal advice.