President Murmu signs Uttarakhand's UCC Bill into law
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday gave assent to Uttarakhand's bill on the Uniform Civil Code. With this, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Uttarakhand, Bill 2024, which seeks to "govern and regulate the laws related to marriage and divorce, successions, live-in relationships, and matters related thereto" has been signed into law.
Why does this story matter?
The UCC has long been a constant in the manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Alongside the construction of a Ram Mandir and the abrogation of Article 370 (which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir), the UCC has been a focus area for the party. Ram Mandir's construction and the abrogation of Article 370 have already taken place.
Uttarakhand becomes first state to clear UCC Bill
Introduced by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami last month, the bill was passed in the assembly following a two-day discussion. Uttarakhand will become the first state to get a common law on marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance for all citizens, irrespective of their religion. The code, however, will not apply to the Scheduled Tribes.
Prohibition of bigamy
The UCC Bill establishes five conditions for marriage, prohibiting bigamy or polygamy with the requirement that "neither party has a living spouse" during marriage. The legal marriage age remains 21 for men and 18 for women. The Bill upholds the "custom" exception under the Hindu Marriage Act for parties married within prohibited relationship degrees, honoring established community customs allowing such unions.
Regulation of live-in relationships
It also mandates that couples living together in a state must submit a statement of their relationship to the local Registrar. The Registrar will conduct a "summary inquiry" to confirm that the relationship does not involve any prohibited categories—such as minors or married individuals. Failure to comply could lead to imprisonment up to three months, a fine of up to Rs. 10,000, or both.
Passage of bill BJP's election promise in 2022
The BJP made the passage of this bill one of its major election promises in Uttarakhand before the 2022 assembly polls. In a statement in January, Dhami expressed his government's resolve to implement the UCC before the Lok Sabha elections. "Our government has always been committed to implementing the UCC...in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'One India, Best India'," he said.
