The Chhattisgarh State Waqf Board has announced plans to introduce new procedures for interfaith nikah and the registration of qazis and maulanas who solemnise Muslim marriages in the state.
According to reports, the proposed rules may come into effect from August 2026. Under the plan, a Muslim man or woman seeking a religious nikah with a non-Muslim partner would need prior written clearance from the Waqf Board before a qazi can conduct the ceremony.
The board is also planning to make registration compulsory for qazis and maulanas who conduct nikah ceremonies. The proposed move would create a central record of religious marriage officiants and nikahs performed across the state.
However, an important legal point remains: the proposal concerns a religious nikah conducted by a qazi, not the legal right of two consenting adults to marry under Indian civil law. An interfaith couple can still marry under the Special Marriage Act, subject to the law’s procedure. Legal experts quoted in reports have said a Waqf Board cannot cancel or declare invalid a marriage legally registered under Indian law.
Board Says It Wants Proper Documentation
The Waqf Board says the proposed system is meant to bring more transparency and proper documentation into the process of nikah.
Under the proposed rules, qazis may have to verify documents before conducting an interfaith nikah. This could include checking whether legal and religious requirements have been fulfilled, including documents related to religious conversion where required.
The board is also considering a process in which details of nikah ceremonies are recorded centrally. Officials believe this could help prevent fraudulent documents, false claims and disputes related to marriage records.
Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman Salim Raj said that, under Islamic religious requirements, a qazi should conduct a nikah only after the required conditions have been met. He also said that if an interfaith couple chooses to marry under civil law, that process is governed by Indian law rather than by the Waqf Board.
Qazi and Maulana Registration May Be Made Compulsory
The second major part of the proposal is the registration of qazis and maulanas who conduct nikah ceremonies.
The board is reportedly preparing a list of authorised religious officiants in the state. Once the rules are introduced, only registered qazis may be permitted to conduct nikahs under the proposed Waqf Board framework.
The aim is to create accountability and ensure that marriage ceremonies are carried out with proper records.
The board had previously issued directions related to nikah ceremonies. In 2025, it capped the amount that imams and maulanas at Waqf-run institutions could charge for conducting a nikah at ₹1,100 after complaints about high fees.
Proposal Has Triggered Legal and Social Debate
The announcement has sparked debate in Chhattisgarh, including within the Muslim community.
Former Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman Abdul Salam Rizvi criticised the proposal and said the board’s legal role is mainly connected to the management of Waqf properties. He argued that the board does not have legal authority to act as a marriage-approval body for adults.
Legal experts have also pointed out that a religious body cannot take away the constitutional and legal rights of adult citizens to marry by mutual consent.
The Special Marriage Act provides a legal route for interfaith marriages in India. Couples marrying under this law do not need a religious nikah to make their marriage legally valid. The marriage registration process is handled through the government system, not through a religious board.
What the Proposed Rule Would and Would Not Cover
The proposed Waqf Board procedure would apply to religious nikahs conducted by qazis in Chhattisgarh.
It would not automatically mean that every interfaith marriage is illegal without Waqf Board permission. A marriage registered under Indian civil law follows the relevant legal process and cannot simply be declared invalid by a religious body.
The key difference is between:
Religious nikah: A ceremony conducted according to Islamic religious practice by a qazi or maulana.
Civil marriage: A marriage registered under Indian law, including under the Special Marriage Act.
The board’s proposed clearance would relate to the first category. The legal validity of a civil marriage remains governed by Indian law and the courts.
Rules Are Still at Proposal Stage
Reports indicate that the Waqf Board is still preparing the framework and plans to discuss it with clerics before implementation.
This means the final rules, exact wording, registration process, documents required and enforcement mechanism may still change.
The proposal has become a major talking point because it involves religion, marriage rights, conversion-related documentation and the role of religious institutions.
The final legal position will depend on the official notification issued by the Chhattisgarh State Waqf Board and whether any part of the proposed rules is challenged before a court.