Report No. 15
Second Schedule
The form of notice contained in the First Schedule to the Christian Marriage Act mentions the period of "three" calendar months. Under the form, parties give notice that the marriage is intended to be solemnised "between us within three calendar months from the date hereof". It must be noted, however, that under the provision in the body of the Act1, as it exists at present, if a marriage is not solemnised within two months of the date of the certificate, a fresh notice is required.
The existing Act seems to have given an extra one month on supposition that about a month might be taken up between the notice and the actual issue of the certificate, and the parties would get two months more after the date of the certificate, thus making a total period of three months. It is, however, better to mention in the Schedule the same period as is mentioned in the body of the Act. For this reason, while the period in the body of the draft2 is increased to three months, the period in the Schedule has been retained without any increase.
For verbal changes, see the corresponding provision in the Special Marriage Act.
As to the note regarding minor bride, the substantive provisions may be seen.3
The column regarding "age" has been replaced by "date of birth" which is more convenient,
1. See sections 26 and 52 of the Christian Marriage Act.
2. Clause 22.
3. See Clause 12(2).
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