Govt orders matrimonial sites to verify if users have valid ID proof

As per the guidelines, which has been approved by Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, these webportals will now make it mandatory for users to upload identity proof such as PAN card, Aadhar card or any legally verified document, when they create their accounts. 

Spearheading the initiative, Union WCD Minister Maneka Sanjay Gandhi earlier had told 

Millennium Post, “This is a very serious issue and severe action should be taken against these people (matrimonial websites) because they need to address the concerns of the people who are being harassed through their websites.”

 This newspaper  has been reporting the issue of fraudulent users on these websites since August 2015. Through the advisory, the government has also directed these websites to keep the IP address of every user for at least one year from the date of deactivation of his/her account as it will help in tracking the user, if any fraudulent incident comes into notice. 

Also the users now have to make a self-declaration that information provided by them is correct and if found wrong, punitive action would be taken as per the law. The decision has been taken after several complaints were lodged with the Telecom Ministry and the WCD Ministry regarding the issue. 

As per the advisory, the websites active in solemnising marriages has also been directed to check posting of obscene materials and guard against becoming dating platforms, official sources said. Matrimonial websites are intermediary under section 2 of Information Technology Act and they are mandated to follow IT Act. 

As per the advisory, matrimonial websites will need to confirm the “user’s intent to enter in to matrimonial alliance” and “confirm that the user information is correct to the best of his or her knowledge when they register to join the platform,” the source said.