Sikh Council caution on ending civil marriage ceremonies

It has been reported in The Daily Telegraph that Sikhs In England, a specialist advisory body, has advised Sikh temples that they should halt all civil marriage ceremonies on their premises to protect them from possible legal challenges for refusing to conduct same-sex weddings.  The story is carried elsewhere, but the source of the original letter or further information on Sikhs in England is not readily accessible.  However, the Sikh Council UK (SCUK) – the largest representative body of Sikhs in the UK – has issued a press release in which it

“urge[s] Gurdwaras to be cautious when considering advice to stop Civil Marriage Ceremonies at the Gurdwara premises as the advice clearly betrays a lack of understanding of the legal framework and the actual practice of Anand Karaj ceremony and the associated civil registration procedure, [emphasis added]”. Continue reading