Photo Courtesy: nenow
Aizawl: Mizoram now demands a court-issued divorce certificate for any person seeking to remarry after a split. The Review Committee on Mizo Marriage and Inheritance of Property confirmed the new requirement on Thursday. This change stems from the Mizo Marriage and Inheritance of Property (Amendment) Act, 2026, which the state Assembly passed in February. Officials overseeing the change include the Law and Judicial Department Additional Secretary Zahmingthanga Ralte.
Check your paperwork. The person performing the wedding now bears the legal burden to verify the divorce status of the couple. Anyone who breaks this rule faces a prison sentence ranging from seven to 10 years depending on the case. The committee explicitly stated, "The committee urged those planning or arranging such marriages to exercise caution."
Authorities also directed churches to update their official documents. Certificates must swap the term divorce for a specific phrase citing the 2014 Mizo Marriage and Inheritance of Property Act. Beyond legal status, the committee scrutinized traditional payments including Thian Man, Nuta Man, and Nu Man. They decided to keep Thian Man, leaning on historical texts like Perry Sap’s A Monograph on Lushai Customs and Ceremonies and Mizo Hnam Dan 2006. However, they want the public to drop Nuta Man, calling it a recent and unnecessary trend. Regarding Nu Man, only a biological mother may collect the payment under strict customary rules.
The review included input from government officials, churches, civil society groups, the Mizoram Women Commission, and Mizoram University experts.
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