: The Madras High Court on Monday ordered notice to the Tamil Nadu government on a Public Interest Litigation, seeking a direction to register marriages solemnised by authorised persons under the Church of Episcopal Fellowship International diocese.
Admitting the plea moved by Noha Yowanaraj, chairman of the Vellore based diocese, a division bench, comprising Justices M Sathyanarayanan and N Seshasayee directed the state government to respond to the plea by December 6.
The petitioner submitted that 37 bishops ordained from the diocese and appointed for the state have been discharging and conducting their spiritual duties assigned by the CEFI.
"These bishops are preaching spiritual duties and solemnising marriages according to Christian rites and customs and also adherence to the provisions of the Indian Christian Marriage Act, the petitioner submitted
Yowanaraj alleged that the registration department has refused to register marriages performed at the respective churches by the ordained pastors of CEFI diocese on the ground they were unable to understand faiths and rites.
He also submitted that the department only maintains all marriage related documents sent from the respective dioceses and does not register them.
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