What makes a marriage valid or invalid?

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As per Indian laws, the following are the conditions for a valid marriage:

1. The marriage must be solemnized in accordance with the customary rites and ceremonies such as “Saptapadi” in case of Hindu marriage (taking the seven steps for the parties before the secret fire)

2. There should not be a subsisting valid marriage of either of the parties with any other person

3. The parties should, as regards age and mental capacity, be competent to have a marriage solemnized between them

4. The parties should not by reason of degrees of prohibited relationship (such as the husband and wife are brother and sister) be debarred from marrying one another.

The following conditions make a marriage invalid (or annuled):

1. If any party has a living spouse at the time of marriage

2. If the parties to the marriage are in a prohibited or sapinda relationship (such as brother and sister) .

3. If at the time of marriage either party was incapable of giving a valid consent to it in consequence of unsoundness of mind or suffering from a mental disorder of such a kind or to such an extent as to be unfit for marriage and procreation of children and had been subject to recurrent attacks of insanity or epilepsy.

4. If either or both of the bridegroom and bride are below the legal age, which are 21 and 18 years respectively.

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