Uttarakhand has become the first Indian state to implement the Uniform Civil Code, which aims at promoting legal equality across people of all castes and religions.
The UCC applies to all residents of Uttarakhand, except Scheduled Tribes and protected authority-empowered persons and communities.
The Uniform Civil Code, implemented by Uttarakhand, aims to simplify and standardize personal laws related to marriage, divorce, succession, and 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 and the woman 18 years of age and 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 and a half of consultations with various sections of the state’s population.
The draft was sent to the state on February 2, 2024, and 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 and Divorce: Sets a common marriageable age for men and women, grounds for divorce, and procedures across all religions.
– Succession: Governs laws related to inheritance and succession.
– Live-in Relationships: Regulates live-in relationships, requiring compulsory registration.
– Polygamy and ‘Halala’: Bans polygamy and ‘halala’ (a practice where a woman must marry another man and then divorce him before remarrying her previous husband).