• By Imran Zafar
  • Mon, 27 Jan 2025 03:07 PM (IST)
  • Source:PTI

Uttarakhand became the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), fulfilling a key pre-poll promise of the ruling BJP made during the 2022 Assembly elections. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami unveiled the UCC notification on Monday, outlining its implementation rules and launching a UCC portal for the mandatory online registration of marriages, divorces and live-in relationships.
The UCC standardizes personal laws across all religions, addressing issues such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and live-in relationships. Major rules include:

  • The marriageable age has been set at 21 for men and 18 for women.

  • Equal property rights for women.

  • Mandatory registration of live-in relationships.

  • Equal property rights for children born of live-in relationships.

  • Compulsory registration of births, deaths and marriages on the UCC portal.

The UCC also includes provisions for creating and cancelling wills under testamentary succession. Marriages performed before March 26, 2010, or outside the state, can be registered if they meet legal requirements. Tribal communities listed under Article 342 of the Constitution have been exempted from the UCC to protect their traditions and cultural heritage. 

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Speaking at the event, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the UCC is not aimed at targeting any religion but ensuring equality across caste, gender and faith. ''Uniform Civil Code is a constitutional measure to end discrimination and empower women,'' he said. 

The chief minister stated that practices like halala, polygamy, child marriage and triple talaq will be eliminated after the implementation of UCC in the state. He also added that January 27 will be observed annually as UCC Day in Uttarakhand.

CM Dhami said the UCC marks a historic achievement for Uttarakhand as the first state to enact such a law, claiming that it aligns with Article 44 of the Constitution, which advocates a uniform set of laws for all citizens. He attributed the success to the state’s people, stating, ''This is an instrument to end all discriminatory practices against women, regardless of religion.''

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The UCC’s implementation reflects the BJP’s fulfilment of a major electoral promise. After securing a second consecutive term in 2022, the Dhami-led cabinet prioritised the formation of an expert committee to draft the UCC. 

The panel headed by Supreme Court Ranjana Prakash Desai submitted a draft of the UCC to the state government on February 2, 2024, and legislation on it was passed a few days later by the Uttarakhand Assembly on February 7. It was given the president's assent nearly a month later paving the way for its implementation.