Irom Sharmila to marry Desmond Coutinho in Kodaikanal

Team Udayavani, Jul 13, 2017, 4:47 PM IST

Kodaikanal : Manipur’s iconic human rights activist Irom Sharmila has filed an application at the Sub-Registrar office here, to marry her long-time partner Desmond Coutinho, a British national. Accompanied by Coutinho, she filed the application for registration of marriage under Hindu Marriage Act last evening, Sub-Registrar of Kodaikanal Rajesh said.

The official said permission could not be given for the inter-religion marriage immediately under the Hindu Marriage Act and it could be registered only under the Special Marriage Act, by giving a notice period of 30 days to receive objections, if any. Meanwhile, the local police and Tehsildar have sought information on the wedding date of the activist, the official said.

Sharmila moved to this hill town with Coutinho following her poll debacle in the Manipur state assembly elections in March and her party ‘People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance’ suffered a rout. The 44-year-old shot to fame after she launched her fast-unto-death on November 4, 2000, demanding the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from Manipur.

Sharmila, also known as ‘Iron Lady’, broke her 16-year-old hunger strike, the world’s longest, on August 9, 2016 and declared she wanted to become the chief minister so that she could repeal the contentious AFSPA.