New Delhi, Sept. 13 -- Nearly a year after the Supreme Court directed states and Union territories to register Sikh marriages under the Anand Marriage Act, Goa has sought an exception from the order, saying its implementation could conflict with the Uniform Civil Code in force in the state. In an application filed earlier this year, Goa urged the court to modify its September 4, 2025, judgment, which required states and UTs to frame rules within four months for registering Sikh marriages under the Anand Marriage Act, 1909. Since the Act is not applicable in Goa, the court had also directed the Centre to extend its application to the state. The judgment further directed marriage registration authorities to record, as an interim measure until rules were framed, that the marriage ceremony had been solemnised through Anand Karaj. Goa told the court that implementing these directions could create a "legally incongruous" and "socially disruptive situation" because of its existing Uniform Civil Code regime. "The implementation of the directions issued to the Union of India and the state of Goa directing extension of the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 to the State of Goa and time bound rule-making is likely to contradict with the Uniform Civil Code regime in force in the state of Goa and create a legally incongruous and socially disruptive situation in Goa," the state in its application said. It further said extending the Act to Goa would introduce a "parallel and redundant registration system inconsistent with and contrary to the spirit and scheme of Goa's Uniform Civil Code." The Portuguese Civil Code, 1867, continues to govern marriage registration in Goa and provides a common mechanism for registration and recognition of marriages. Under the law, all marriages must be compulsorily registered by the civil registrar in a common format rather than under a specific personal law. "Notably, the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the Muslim Marriages Registration Act, 1981, the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872, the Special Marriage Act, 1954, the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, etc. are not extended to, or applicable in, the state of Goa. Thus, no equivalent legal mechanism exists under prevailing law for Anand Karaj or other rites," the state said. It argued that under the Portuguese Civil Code, marriage is a civil institution and registration is compulsory, secular and uniform for all persons, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. "In these circumstances, extension of the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 to the state is unnecessary," the application said, describing Goa's existing registration framework as "non-discriminatory". A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta took up the application on September 10 and deferred the hearing by two weeks. Advocate Abhay Anturkar, standing counsel for Goa, told the court that the directions were "incapable" of being carried out in the manner proposed by the judgment. The state is seeking a limited clarification or modification to ensure that implementation is legally workable and constitutionally consistent....