Commentary on Sections Part 2 – Civil Partnership: England and Wales.Introduction Chapter 2 – Dissolution, Nullity and Other Proceedings Section 53: Power to validate civil partnership
103.Subsection (1) provides that the Lord Chancellor may by order validate a civil partnership, where two people register as civil partners of each other in England and Wales, if it appears to him that the civil partnership is or may be void under section 49(b). Subsection (2) provides that an order under subsection (1) may include provisions for relieving a person from any liability under sections 31(2), 32(2), 33(5) or 33(7) (offences relating to civil partnership schedule, Registrar General’s licence and recording of civil partnerships). Subsection (3) provides that the draft of an order under subsection (1) must be advertised not less than one month prior to the order being made. Subsection (4) provides that the Lord Chancellor must consider all written objections sent to him during that month and, if it appears necessary to him, direct a local inquiry into the validity of any such objections. Subsection (5) provides that an order under subsection (1) is subject to the special parliamentary procedure. The special parliamentary procedure is laid down in the Statutory Orders (Special Procedure) Act 1945.