2. Definitions.―In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,―
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* * * * *
(b) “degrees of prohibited relationship”-a man and any of the persons mentioned in Part I of the
First Schedule and a woman and any of the persons mentioned in Part II of the said Schedule are
within the degrees of prohibited relationship.
Explanation I.―Relationship includes,―
(a) relationship by half or uterine blood as well as by full blood;
(b) illegitimate blood relationship as well as legitimate;
(c) relationship by adoption as well as by blood;
and all terms of relationship in this Act shall be construed accordingly.
Explanation II.―“Full blood” and “half blood”―two persons are said to be related to each other by
full blood when they are descended from a common ancestor by the same wife and by half blood when
they are descended from a common ancestor but by different wives.
Explanation III.―“Uterine blood”―two persons are said to be related to each other by uterine blood
when they are descended from a common ancestress but by different husbands.
Explanation IV.―In Explanations II and III, “ancestor” includes the father and “ancestress” the
mother;
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* * * * *
(d) “district” in relation to a Marriage Officer, means the area for which he is appointed as such
under sub-section
(1) or sub-section
(2) of section 3;
[
(e) “district court” means, in any area for which there is a city civil court, that court, and in any
7
other area, the principal civil court of original jurisdiction, and includes any other civil court which
1. The Act has been extended to Dadra and Nagar Haveli by Reg. 6 of 1963, s. 2 and Schedule I and to Pondicherry by Reg. 7 of
1963, Section 3 and Schedule I (w.e.f. 1-10-1963).
2. The words “except the State of Jammu and Kashmir” omitted by Act 34 of 2019, s. 95 and the Fifth Schedule (w.e.f. 31-10-
2019).
3. Subs. by Act 33 of 1969, s. 29, for “outside the said territories” (w.e.f. 31-8-1969).
4. 1st January, 1955, vide notification No. S.R.O. 3606, dated 17th December, 1954, published in the Gazette of India,
Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3.
The Act has been extended to State of Sikkim vide notification No. S.O. 1629(E), dated 15th April 2021, see Gazette of India,
Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii).
5. Omitted by Act 33 of 1969, s. 29.
6. Omitted by s. 29, ibid.
7. Subs. by Act 68 of 1976, s. 20, for clause
(e) (w.e.f. 27-5-1976).
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may be specified by the State Government by notification in the Official Gazette as having
jurisdiction in respect of the matters dealt with in this Act;]
(f) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
1
[
(g) “State Government”, in relation to a Union territory, means the administrator thereof.]
