India, June 8 -- Cities in Uttar Pradesh can no longer register a marriage unless either the bride or the groom or one of their parents is a resident of that city, according to directions issued on June 6 by the Uttar Pradesh government's stamps and registration department, officials said on Saturday.

The directions were issued following an Allahabad high court on May 12 in a case involving couples who sought legal protection after eloping without the consent of their families. Many of these were couples who registered their marriage in Ghaziabad despite not being residents here, which resulted in jurisdictional issues when they sought protection.

"The high court's directions are interim directions until the rules are amended - the cour...