Uttarakhand becomes first Indian State to implement Uniform Civil Code

Uttarakhand has become the first Indian state to implement the Uniform Civil Code, which aims at promoting legal equality across people of all castes & religions.

The UCC applies to all residents of Uttarakhand, except Scheduled Tribes & protected authority-empowered persons & communities.

The Uniform Civil Code, implemented by Uttarakhand, aims to simplify & standardize personal laws related to marriage, divorce, succession, & inheritance.

Under this, marriage can be solemnised only between those parties, none of whom has a living spouse, both are mentally capable of giving legal permission, the man should have completed at least 21 years of age & the woman 18 years of age & they should not be in the ambit of prohibited relationships.

Uttarakhand's UCC journey

Uttarakhand's Uniform Civil Code journey began in March 2022 when the state cabinet approved a proposal to form an expert panel, led by retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai. The panel's task was to draft the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which they submitted in four comprehensive volumes after a year & a half of consultations with various sections of the state's population.

The draft was sent to the state on February 2, 2024, & shortly after, the Uttarakhand assembly passed the UCC bill. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent in March 2024, nearly two years after the initial proposal.

What's in the Uttarakhand UCC?
The Uniform Civil Code Act of Uttarakhand will regulate laws related to:

- Marriage & Divorce: Sets a common marriageable age for men & women, grounds for divorce, & procedures across all religions.

- Succession: Governs laws related to inheritance & succession.

- Live-in Relationships: Regulates live-in relationships, requiring compulsory registration.

- Polygamy & 'Halala': Bans polygamy & 'halala' (a practice where a woman must marry another man & then divorce him before remarrying her previous husband).

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