Hindu Marriage. [Ch. 29. No. 5.

(5) Every Marriage Officer who—

(a) fails to comply with the provisions of sub-
section (1) of this section, or

(b) without reasonable cause or excuse, ‘shall fail to
transmit to the District Registrar any certificate in
accordance with the provisions of this section together
with the prescribed fees, or

(c) solemnizes a Hindu marriage without proof that
the persons whose consent is required by this Ordinance
have given such consent,

shall be Hable on summary conviction to a fine of fifty
dollars.

14. (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
sections 9 and 12, any Hindu marriage, which was entered
into prior to the commencement of this Ordinance between
Hindus domiciled in the Colony at the date of such marriage
and which marriage is still subsisting and is valid according
to the Hindu law relating to marriage, may be registered
under this Ordinance in accordance with the provisions
hereinafter contained.

(2) The parties to such prior marriage shall attend
before a Marriage Officer and shall make and sign a
declaration in form C of Part III of the Schedule hereto.
Such declaration shall be signed in the presence of the
Marriage Officer by two creditable witnesses, known to
the Marriage Officer who shall identify the parties: Pro-
vided that if any of the parties to such prior marriage
cannot sign his name he shall affix his mark in the presence
of the two witnesses.

(3) The Marriage Officer shall then, in proper cases,
immediately fill in, date and sign the certificate on the
said form C and shall transmit it to the District Registrar
within seven days with the prescribed fee collected by him
from the parties.

(4) The fees prescribed for the registration of a
certificate of marriage shall apply in respect of the
registration of the declaration of a former marriage.

(5) If such District Registrar is satisfied that the

75

Registration
of marriaves
entered into
prior to com-
Mmencement

of Ordinance.

Form C