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Sikhs: ‘Give up licences’

by
26 July 2013

by a staff reporter

SHUTTERSTOCK

SIKH leaders have written to temples in the UK, suggesting that they should give up their marriage licences to protect them when refusing to conduct same-sex weddings,writes a staff reporter.

The Daily Telegraphreported that a letter from the Network of Sikh organisations had been sent to gurdwaras suggesting that they surrender their licences to perform civil weddings as a pre-emptive move. There are about 300 gurdwaras in the UK.

If gurdwaras followed this advice, couples would have to have a separate wedding ceremony in a register office or other venue recognised by the local council.

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act, which received Royal Assent last week, contains provisions to prevent individuals' and groups' being compelled to carry out same-sex weddings.

But Harminder Singh, the principal adviser to Sikhs in England, told theTelegraphthat there was concern that these provisions aren't "worth the paper they are written on".

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