Election season hits matrimonial ties in Kumaon

NAINITAL:

Election season

has hit matrimonial plans of many across the

Kumaon division

. Most if the marriage halls, banquet halls, tent house owners, musical band groups told that despite the peak of the wedding season they have got minimal bookings and business is down almost 70%.

The reason behind such dismal response to the wedding season is that various regulations are being imposed due to the code of conduct. To avoid any inconvenience, people are shifting there dates, mostly to the month of April.

Shailendra Negi, owner of a

banquet hall in Haldwani

said, “We have bookings only for two dates in the month of Feb. Last year we had to say no to many as we were full. People are shifting wedding this season due to elections.”

Due to the imposition of the conduct of code, lots of regulations are in place about the duration of music, gathering of people, restriction on fire arms, unavailability of vehicles to book for ‘Baarat’ which people tend to avoid.

Shagun Singh (28), who shifted her wedding to April said, “There were various issues such as security, availability of musical bands, caterers as most of them seem to be busy in elections. So, my family decided to shift the wedding aftermath of elections.”

Marriages of almost 3,000

BPL families

held up as govt stops financial aid citing code of conduct. According to sources in the state social welfare department, around 3,000 BPL families have applied for the grant of Rs 50,000 (given to families having daughters for arranging their weddings).

However, the imposition of the model code of conduct since January 4 in the state has put a break on all release of funds and put a dampener on the plans on all those who were hoping to get their daughters married during the ongoing auspicious wedding season.

Earlier, with demonetization process scrapping Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes forming 86% of total money in circulation,marriages in hill have taken a hit. People are co-operating with each other like older times providing essentials in absence of cash to solemnize the marriages.

Centuries old traditions in hills call for community co-operation with whole of village, locality coming together to accomplish the marriage and related functions.