In a first-of-its-kind digital leap, a Kerala couple — Lavanya and Vishnu — registered their marriage instantly through a Video KYC verification at the Kawassery Panchayat in Thrissur district. The couple received a digitally verified marriage certificate with their photograph on the same day, marking a new milestone in the state’s e-governance journey.
A video showing the couple smiling and completing their registration online has gone viral across social media platforms, drawing widespread praise. Netizens hailed Kerala’s innovation, calling it a model for other states to emulate. One user from Andhra Pradesh posted on X, urging his state government to introduce a similar system for faster and more transparent marriage registrations.
The initiative was made possible through K-SMART, an in-house digital governance platform developed by the Information Kerala Mission (IKM). The system enables couples to verify their identities via Aadhaar-based OTP or email authentication, eliminating the need for physical presence at local bodies. Once verified, couples can download their marriage certificate digitally within hours under the supervision of panchayat officials.
According to official data, between January 2024 and September 2025, Kerala registered 1,44,416 marriages, out of which 62,524 were completed entirely online through video KYC verification. Thrissur leads the tally with the highest number of digital registrations, followed by Malappuram and Thiruvananthapuram, according to a PTI report.
The initiative is particularly beneficial for non-resident Keralites (NRKs) and working professionals who often face logistical challenges in visiting local offices. The state government plans to further expand the K-SMART platform to cover other citizen services, reinforcing Kerala’s position as a frontrunner in digital governance.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
