the goan I network
PANAJI
While talking about cases that are brought before the Goa State Commission for Women (GSCW) about troubled marriages, Chairperson of the GSCW Advocate Shubhalaxmi Naik stressed that couples nowadays should not get married until and unless they are absolutely sure they want to make the commitment.
In an interview with The Goan, Adv Naik stressed that marriage was to be treated as a lifelong commitment, and not just an “event.”
Pointing to the fact that many youngsters today treat marriage as a routine part of life, rather than an important commitment, Adv Naik was keen to make youngsters aware of the problems of rushing into marriage.
“It isn’t necessary to get married after graduation only because this is considered the norm by society,” she said.
“A girl or a boy can get married at any age, as long as s/he is ready for the commitment. Only after that should the couple go in for the first signature i.e. the notice of intention of marriage,” she insisted.
Adv Naik also brought to light the fact that many people were not aware that the couple needed to sign twice before they were legally married, and the signature of intention of marriage needed to be followed up with a second signature between two weeks and three months after the first one, failing which the signature of intent is invalid, and the couple is not legally married.
“Many a time, couples realise they have not been civilly married years later when they want to get a divorce,” said Adv Naik.
“In these cases the question of divorce does not arise since there was no marriage,” she explained.
The GSCW provides counseling for couples that come to them with complaints, but most often these cases go in for divorce, as neither party is willing to compromise. “A marriage is to be worked at,” she said, “and should not be taken as a fact that the couple will live happily ever after.”
Adv Naik’s statements are important in view of the fact that there was an increase in the number of divorces in the state over the past couple of years. 246 marriages had been legally cancelled in the state in 2015, a number that had gone up to 281 by 2017. For the first half of 2018, there have already been 175 marriages legally cancelled.
