The Act of 1872' relating to Inter-caste and Widow remarriage is known as:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:

The Special Marriage Act of 1872, originally called the Civil Marriage Act or Act III of 1872, was a landmark piece of social legislation in British India. This Act was primarily enacted to legalize marriages between persons who did not profess the Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Parsi, or Jewish religions, essentially covering inter-religious and, by extension, inter-caste marriages, which were often not recognized under personal religious laws at the time. Furthermore, the Act explicitly facilitated the remarriage of widows, especially those belonging to the Brahmo Samaj movement, who found the 1856 Act insufficient or religiously restrictive. While the 1872 Act itself was broad, its provisions were largely replaced and expanded by the Special Marriage Act of 1954, but it is historically recognized as the first law that introduced the concept of civil marriage, independent of religious personal laws, thereby supporting social reforms like inter-caste marriage and widow remarriage.

The incorrect option is 1:

The Widow Remarriage Act, known officially as the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, was enacted much earlier in 1856 (Act XV of 1856), not 1872. Its scope was specifically limited to legalizing the remarriage of Hindu widows, ensuring that the issue of their first marriage remained legitimate, a major step forward after the abolition of Sati. However, it did not cover inter-caste marriages or the broader civil marriage provisions required by reformers like those from the Brahmo Samaj, which necessitated the later 1872 Act.

The incorrect option is 2:

While the 1872 Act allowed for inter-caste marriage, "Inter-caste Marriage Act" is not the historical or official title of the 1872 legislation. Inter-caste marriages were legalized as a consequence of the Act allowing for civil registration outside of traditional religious laws, but the term itself lacks the official legal standing associated with the 1872 and 1954 statutes.

The incorrect option is 3:

The Brahma Marriage Act is not the official name of the 1872 legislation. The Act was strongly advocated by Brahmo Samaj leaders like Keshub Chandra Sen, but the final legislation, Act III of 1872, was titled the Civil Marriage Act or eventually known as The Special Marriage Act. Furthermore, the Act contained a clause requiring the declaration that neither party belonged to the Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Parsi, or Jewish religion, which satisfied some Brahmo reformers but was not solely a "Brahma" act.