A born Christian girl brought up by a Hindu family married a Hindu boy as per shastric ceremonies. The…

Under Section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, a valid marriage under the Act can be solemnized only between two Hindus. Under the Explanation to Section 2(1) of the Act, a child is a Hindu by upbringing only if at least one of the parents is a Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina, or Sikh, or if the person has converted to Hinduism. Since the girl is a born Christian and neither converted to Hinduism nor had a Hindu parent, she is not a Hindu within the meaning of Section 2(1), rendering a marriage solemnized between her and a Hindu boy under shastric ceremonies invalid under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (Gullipilli Sowria Raj v. Bandaru Pavani, 2009).