Anand Marriage Act, 1909 [Act 7 of 1909] was enacted to remove
doubts as to the validity of the marriage ceremony common among the Sikhs
called Anand (also known as Anand Karaj)
As per
section 2 of Anand Marriage Act, 1909, all marriages solemnized according to the
Sikh marriage ceremony called Anand, commonly known as Anand Karaj, is deemed
to have been with effect from the date of the solemnization, good and valid in
law.
Nothing in this Act however applies to:
(i) any marriage between persons not professing the Sikh religion, or
(ii) any marriage which has been judicially declared to be null
and void.
Further as per section 5 of the Act, this does not validate marriages
within prohibited degrees i.e. marriage between persons who are related to each
other in any degree of consanguinity or affinity which would, according to the
customary law of the Sikhs, render a marriage between them illegal.