UCC in Uttarakhand: In a remarkable development, Uttarakhand became the first state after independence to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on Monday. The formal announcement of its implementation was made by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The Chief Minister has emphasised that the UCC aims to bring uniformity across all personal civil laws that currently discriminate on the basis of caste, religion, gender, and other factors. The state government had finalised all necessary preparations for the UCC rollout. This includes the approval of the rules under the Act and extensive training for the officials involved in its implementation, he added.
Taking to X, CM Dhami wrote, "Dear residents of the state, The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be implemented in the state from January 27, 2025, making Uttarakhand the first Indian state after independence where this law will come into effect. All the necessary preparations have been completed to implement UCC, which includes approval of the rules of the Act and training of the concerned officials."
"UCC will bring uniformity in the society and ensure equal rights and responsibilities for all citizens. The Uniform Civil Code is just an offering made by our state in the great yagya being done by the Prime Minister to make the country a developed, organized, harmonious and self-reliant nation. Under the Uniform Civil Code, an attempt has been made to bring uniformity in all laws relating to personal civil matters that discriminate on the basis of caste, religion, sex etc," he added.
CM launches portal for UCC implementation
Alongside the UCC rollout, CM Dhami also unveiled the rules under the Act and launched a dedicated portal for streamlined implementation. The Home Secretary has instructed all department heads and police officials to attend the event. The UCC covers critical areas of personal civil law, including marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance, adoption, and succession, ensuring uniformity across all communities.
Key changes under UCC
Here's what will change with the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand:
- Mandatory marriage registration: All marriages must now be registered.
- Uniform Divorce Laws: A single divorce law will apply to all communities, irrespective of religion or caste.
- Minimum marriage age: The minimum age for marriage is set at 18 for girls across all religions and castes.
- Equal adoption rights: Adoption will be open to all religions, but adopting a child from another religion remains prohibited.
- Abolition of practices: Practices like 'halala' and 'iddat' will no longer be allowed in the state.
- Monogamy enforced: No second marriage will be permitted if the first spouse is alive.
- Equal inheritance rights: Sons and daughters will have an equal share in inheritance.
- Live-in relationship regulations: Registration for live-in relationships will be mandatory. For partners under 18 and 21 years of age, parental consent will be required.
- Rights of children born out of live-in relationships: These children will have the same rights as those born to married couples.
Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code
It should be noted here that the BJP government had introduced the UCC Bill during a special session of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly on February 6 last year and it was passed with a comfortable majority a day later on February 7. Following the Uttarakhand Assembly, the UCC Bill was passed in February, and President Droupadi Murmu signed it on March 13, paving the way for Uttarakhand to become the first state in India after independence to enact the UCC. The Uniform Civil Code seeks to establish a set of uniform personal laws that apply to all citizens, regardless of religion, gender, or caste. This would cover aspects such as marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance, and succession.
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