Uttarakhand becomes first state to clear Uniform Civil Code Bill

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh introduced the Bill in the Assembly

On February 7, the Uttarakhand Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code Bill. The Bill, introduced in the BJP-majority assembly a day earlier, was passed by voice vote.

The opposition had suggested earlier that it should be sent to a select committee of the House first.

After the Bill gets the governor's assent, Uttarakhand will become the first state after independence to get a common law on marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, while speaking on the Bill before its passage, said it is not an ordinary legislation. The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will create equal laws for men and women across all faiths and will help create a non-partisan and non-discriminatory society, he said.

It will especially protect the rights of women and put an end to their exploitation, Dhami said. "It fulfils a commitment we had made to the people of the state in the run-up to the 2022 assembly polls," the Chief Minister said.

The Bill contains laws relating to divorce, marriage, succession, live-in relationships, and other related matters. The Bill makes it mandatory for live-in relationships to be registered under the law.

Live-in relationships will have to get registered under the law withing one month from the due date of entering into the relationship, once the Bill is in place. Furthermore, adults will be required to obtain consent from their parents to be in a live-in relationship.

The Bill also imposes a complete ban on child marriage and brings a uniform process for divorce.

According to the UCC Bill, the age for marriage will be 18 for women and 21 for men across all communities. Marriages that are not registered will be considered invalid.

(With agencies inputs)