Is Marriage Between Cousins Legal In India?

In India, marriage between first cousins is legal under civil law, with the exception of certain Muslim communities where it is prohibited. The Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 allows marriage between cousins as long as they do not fall within the prohibited degrees of relationship. In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court upheld the nullity of a marriage between cousins under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. This landmark judgment clarifies the legal position on such marriages and their validity under Indian law.

In some cultures, it is acceptable to marry cousins who are consanguineal kin, meaning related by blood. The most common prevailing form of consanguineous marriage is the legal union of male and female of a common ancestor related by blood. The legal status of cousin marriage varies considerably from one U.S. state to another, ranging from being legal in some states to being a criminal offense in others. It is illegal or largely illegal in 31 states and legal or largely legal in 19.

Marriages between first cousins are allowed in Islam, as stated in surat an-Nisa’ (4:22-24), Allah mentioned the women who are forbidden for marriage. However, the Hindu Marriage Act makes cousin marriage illegal for Hindus with the exception of marriages permitted by regional custom. Practices of the small Christian minority are also location-dependent, with their cousin marriage rates being higher in southern states with high overall rates.

In conclusion, marriage between first cousins is legal in India, but certain restrictions apply. The Hindu Marriage Act (HMA) prohibits marriage between distant relatives, and the court has upheld the constitutional validity of a provision that prohibits such marriages.

Did Krishna marry her cousin?

The Bhagavata Purana says Mitravinda married Krishna. She chooses Krishna as her husband in a ceremony where she picks him from other men. But her brothers don’t like it and stop the marriage. They join the Kauravas and fight Krishna. Krishna defeats the princes and takes Mitravinda away, as the other suitors keep looking. Vallabhacharya says that Mitravinda and Krishna were in love, but her brothers and father wanted Duryodhana for her husband. Her father arranged a competition for her to choose a husband. All the princes were there. When Krishna heard, he went to the svayamvara too. Mitravinda told Krishna her problem and asked him to abduct her. Krishna abducted her from the svayamvara. Her brothers and other princes wanted to marry Mitravinda. Krishna defeated them all and took Mitravinda to Dvaraka, where he married her. In another version, Krishna and his brother Balarama were not invited to the svayamvara. Balarama was upset that they weren’t invited to Mitravinda’s wedding. Balarama told Krishna that Vinda and Anuvinda wanted to marry their sister to Duryodhana of the Kuru Empire. The marriage would make the Kauravas very powerful. Balarama told Krishna to kidnap Mitravinda because she loved him. Krishna wasn’t sure if Mitravinda loved him, so he took his sister Subhadra with him to find out. After Subhadra said Mitravinda loved Krishna, Krishna and Balarama went to the svayamvara and took Mitravinda away from the princes of Avanti, Duryodhana, and other suitors. Krishna and his wives went to Hastinapura to see Kunti, her sons, and Draupadi. Kunti told Draupadi to worship and honor Mitravinda and other queens with gifts. Mitravinda also tells Draupadi how she married Krishna. The Bhagavata Purana says that Mitravinda had ten sons. Vrika, Harsha, Anila, Gridhra, Vardhana, Unnada, Mahamsa, Pavana, Vahni, and Kshudhi. The Vishnu Purana says she has many sons, including Sangramajit.

Can relatives marry each other in India?

The Delhi High Court has ruled that a Hindu Marriage Act provision banning marriages between people who are related to each other through their parents is constitutional. A sapinda relationship extends to the third generation (inclusive) in the mother’s line and the fifth (inclusive) in the father’s line. The line is traced upwards from the person concerned, who is the first generation. Hindu marriage law forbids incestuous unions. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora said that if marriage partners are not regulated, incestuous relationships may become acceptable. The high court said there was no reason to challenge Section 5(V) of the Hindu Marriage Act as raised in the petition filed by a woman.

Which Hindu god married his cousin?

Lord Krishna married his cousin, Mitravinda.

Is it fine to marry cousins?

Cousin marriage is often safe. It might even be a good idea. But in some groups or families, there might be more risks. Dr. Chung says it’s because of a genetic condition. Wendy Chung: Some conditions require two to tango. You have two copies of your gene, one from your mom, one from your dad. For certain conditions, it takes these changes in both copies of the gene to cause a problem because the gene isn’t working. If you have 50% of the gene working, you can get by. But when you’re missing it all, that’s when problems start. Mona Chalabi: Dr. Chung is talking about autosomal recessive conditions, which geneticists know about. Most of them are unknown. Some are well-known and serious, like sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, or spinal muscular atrophy.

How far removed can cousins marry?

In the US, second cousins can marry in every state. But only about half of US states allow first cousins to marry.

The laws and beliefs of your state and community will affect whether you can marry your cousin or half-sibling. Couples concerned about genetic risks to their children should see a genetic counselor. They can give you a better idea of the risk based on your situation and discuss testing.

How much DNA do first cousins share?

The DNA shared by relationships is as follows: 1st cousin: 12.5% 1st cousin once removed: 6.25% 2nd cousin: 3.13% 2nd cousin once removed: 1.5%

In the 23andMe DNA Relatives feature, we estimate the genealogical relationship between two individuals. We compare your autosomal DNA (chromosomes 1-22) and X chromosome(s) with other 23andMe members who are participating in the DNA Relatives feature. The autosomal DNA is inherited the same way for both genders, but the X chromosome is not. The Y chromosome is not used by the 23andMe DNA Relatives feature to detect matches.

Can a married man have a girlfriend in India legally?

Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code defines adultery as having a live-in relationship with someone other than your spouse.

What is the blood relation marriage law in India?

A relationship includes: (a) a relationship by half or uterine blood as well as by full blood; (b) an illegitimate blood relationship as well as a legitimate one; (c) a relationship by adoption as well as by blood. All terms of relationship in this Act shall be construed accordingly.

What happens if first cousins have a baby?

Most babies born to relatives are healthy. Cousin marriage raises the risk of birth defects from 3% to 6%, but the absolute risk is still low. Cousin marriage only causes a third of birth defects.