Terms & Conditions
Last updated & verified: August 2026
Welcome to Sambandh - Saraswath Matrimonial Platform (operated by GSB Sabha® Mulki). By creating an account, accessing, or using our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. This User Agreement is published in accordance with Rule 3(1) of the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
1. Eligibility & Age Gating
- Statutory Marriage Age (DPDP Act § 9): In compliance with the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and DPDP Section 9, candidates must be at least 18 years of age (female) or 21 years of age (male). Minors are strictly prohibited from registration.
- Marital Status: We welcome individuals who are legally Single (Never Married), Widowed, or Legally Divorced. We also accept registrations from those currently Awaiting Divorce, provided that legal proceedings are ongoing and documented.
- Community Affiliation: Sambandh is an exclusive private community platform designed for the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) and allied Saraswath Konkani-speaking Hindu families.
- Right of Admission: Membership is a privilege and is subject to administrative identity verification. Sambandh reserves the right to decline or suspend membership for false representations or violation of community standards.
2. Account Verification & Statutory Auto-Purge
To safeguard member privacy against identity leaks, all uploaded government ID proofs (Aadhaar cards) and UPI payment receipts are used exclusively for one-time manual verification by our operations desk and are automatically and irreversibly purged from our server storage disks immediately upon account activation.
Confidentiality of Credentials
You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your Membership ID and login OTPs. Any activity under your authenticated session is your legal responsibility.
Truthfulness & Accuracy
You represent that all information provided (education, profession, income, horoscope, family details) is truthful and accurate. Misrepresentation is grounds for immediate termination.
3. Services & Matrimonial Intent
Strict Matrimonial Intent
Sambandh is strictly for solemn, genuine matrimonial matchmaking. It is not a dating, casual relationship, or commercial networking platform. Inappropriate behavior or commercial solicitation is strictly prohibited.
Advisory Horoscope Matching (Gunamilan)
Automated Guna Milan compatibility calculations are generated strictly as advisory reports based on traditional Vedic texts. Sambandh does not guarantee marital outcome or astrological destiny.
4. Fees, Payments & Receipts
Platform Maintenance Fee
A nominal one-time platform maintenance fee of ₹ 500/- is charged during onboarding to fund manual identity vetting and infrastructure. Payment receipts uploaded during registration are purged immediately post-verification.
5. Use of Contact Info & Bio-Data
Confidentiality Obligation
When downloading profile folios or viewing match information, you receive sensitive personal details. You agree under Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules 2021 to use this data solely for private family matrimonial consideration and never disclose it to commercial entities, social media, or public forums.
No Guarantee of Reciprocity
Expressing interest or viewing profiles does not guarantee acceptance or response. Each family retains complete autonomy over their matchmaking decisions.
6. Prohibited Activities (Rule 3(1)(b) IT Rules 2021)
Under Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Intermediary Guidelines Rules 2021, users are strictly prohibited from hosting, displaying, uploading, or sharing information that:
- Belongs to another person and to which the user does not have any legal right.
- Is defamatory, obscene, pornographic, pedophilic, invasive of another's privacy, or racially/ethnically objectionable.
- Is harmful to children or impersonates another person.
- Uses automated scripts, bots, scrapers, or crawlers to harvest photos, member directories, or contact information.
- Deceives or misleads the addressee about the origin of the message or knowingly communicates any misinformation.
7. Implemented Legal & Technical Safeguards
AES-256 Encryption at Rest & Blind Indexing (DPDP § 8(5))
All personally identifiable information (PII) is encrypted at rest using AES-256 ciphers, and searchable fields use one-way cryptographic HMAC blind indices.
Aadhaar & Receipt Auto-Purge Pipeline (DPDP § 8(7))
Uploaded ID proofs and payment receipts are automatically purged from disk upon admin activation.
Marriage Privacy Lockdown & Delisting (DPDP § 8(7))
Once a member confirms their marriage, their profile is instantly delisted from search indexes and archived to protect privacy.
8. Data Principal Rights & Account Erasure
Under the DPDP Act 2023, members hold self-service statutory rights accessible in Account Settings:
- Right to Data Summary (§ 11): Instant one-click structured JSON download of your personal data.
- Right to Hard Erasure (§ 12): Direct self-service account deletion requiring Membership ID confirmation that permanently purges database records, photos, and search keys without administrative veto.
- Right to Nominate (§ 14): Designate a trusted representative to exercise data rights in the event of death or incapacity.
9. Limitation of Liability & Intermediary Status
Intermediary Safe Harbor (IT Act § 79)
Sambandh operates as an intermediary under Section 2(w) and Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. We do not initiate the transmission, select the receiver, or modify information contained in transmissions by users.
Independent Verification
While we verify identity documents, Sambandh does not conduct police or background checks. Families are strongly urged to conduct independent inquiries before proceeding with matrimonial commitments.
10. Modification & Termination
Sambandh reserves the right to modify these terms in accordance with statutory directives. Continued use of the platform constitutes agreement to the updated terms. Accounts violating community conduct or laws will be terminated immediately.
11. Governing Law & Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of India. Any dispute arising out of or in connection with this platform shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts in Karnataka, India.
12. Grievance Officer & DPBI Escalation
In compliance with Rule 3(2) of the Information Technology Rules, 2021 and Section 13 of the DPDP Act, 2023, the details of our Grievance & Data Protection Officer are as follows:
Grievance Officer & Data Protection Officer
Data Protection Board of India (DPBI) Escalation
If a privacy grievance is not resolved to your satisfaction within 30 calendar days, you hold the statutory right under Section 13(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 to escalate your complaint directly to the Data Protection Board of India.
User Acknowledgment
By checking the affirmative consent box or using the Sambandh platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions.