27 Jan 2025, Dehradun: Uttarakhand has made history by becoming the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced today. The UCC aims to establish a uniform set of legal provisions for all citizens, regardless of religion or community, covering marriage, divorce, inheritance, property rights, and adoption laws.
Chief Minister Dhami called the UCC a significant step toward promoting societal uniformity and ensuring equal rights and responsibilities for all. “This is Uttarakhand’s contribution to the Prime Minister’s vision of a developed, organized, and harmonious nation,” he said.
The implementation of the UCC was a key promise made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the 2022 assembly elections, which saw the party return to power for a second consecutive term. The state’s new law includes mandatory registration of marriages and live-in relationships, a ban on polygamy and child marriage, and the legal marriage age of 21 years for both genders to encourage education before marriage.
In a significant move, the law mandates the registration of all live-in relationships, requiring parental consent for individuals under 21. Failure to register or providing false information could result in penalties, including three months’ imprisonment or a ₹25,000 fine. The provisions extend beyond state residents, applying to live-in relationships formed elsewhere.
The UCC represents a groundbreaking step toward equality before the law, fulfilling a long-standing BJP agenda while sparking debates about its implications for individual freedoms and cultural practices.
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