Brides wait for their weddings to start during a mass marriage ceremony in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad February 22, 2013.
Brides at a mass wedding ceremony in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. In Uttar Pradesh REUTERS

Lovers in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh wishing to tie the knot without their parents' consent will have to show their bank balance to the court under a new cash guarantee clause.

The state high court has made it mandatory for the man to fix a deposit of 50,000 rupees (£490) in the bank in the name of his fiancée if the couple wish to marry against their families' wishes.

The cash guarantee clause was put in place for so-called love marriages after a young newlywed was dumped by her husband soon after they got married.

State police have been ordered to enforce the court's order.

It came in the wake of a number of cases where brides were duped by grooms who ran away with their dowries of cash and jewellery.