51Incorrect marriage certificates

51 Incorrect marriage certificates

(1) Where an authorised officer is satisfied, by statutory declaration or otherwise, that any particular in a certificate of marriage prepared and signed under section 50 is incorrect, the authorised officer may: (a) in the case of a certificate that has been handed to a party to the marriage or retained by the authorised celebrant—correct the certificate; and (b) in the case of a certificate that has been forwarded to a registering authority—certify to that authority that a specified correction is necessary. (2) For the purposes of exercising his or her powers under paragraph (1)(a) in relation to a certificate, an authorised officer may, by notice in writing served on a party to the marriage, or the authorised celebrant, as the case requires, require the party or the authorised celebrant to produce or forward the certificate to the authorised officer within a period (not being less than 7 days from the date of service of the notice) specified in the notice. (2A) Where a marriage has been solemnised, or purports to have been solemnised, under this Part, and the marriage is void, an authorised officer may, by notice in writing served on a party to the marriage, require the party to deliver or forward to the authorised officer, within a period (not being less than 7 days from the date of service of the notice) specified in the notice, the certificate required, by subsection 50(4), to be handed to a party to the marriage. (3) A notice referred to in subsection (2) or (2A) may be served by post. (4) In this section, authorised officer means a person authorised by the Minister to perform the functions of an authorised officer under this section.