Uniform Civil Code Bill passed in Uttarakhand Assembly
The Uttarakhand Assembly on Wednesday passed the Uniform Civil Code Uttarakhand 2024 Bill, a day after it was tabled by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. With this, Uttarakhand has become the first state in the country after independence to implement the UCC. The BJP made the passage of this bill one of its major election promises in the state before the 2022 Assembly polls.
Why does this story matter?
The UCC has long been a constant in the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto. Alongside the Ram Mandir construction and the abrogation of Article 370—which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir—the UCC has been a focus area for the BJP in the country. Ram Mandir's construction and the abrogation of Article 370 have already taken place.
Uttarakhand first state in the country to implement UCC
UCC proposes a common law on marriage, divorce
The UCC proposes a common law on marriage, divorce, land, property, and inheritance for all citizens irrespective of their religion in the state, excluding the Scheduled Tribes (ST). In June last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, batting for the UCC, said the country couldn't run on two laws, just as having "different sets of rules for different members of a family" does not work.
Registration of live-ins, jail term
Under the Uniform Civil Code Uttarakhand 2024 Bill, the state government has sought a complete ban on polygamy. The Bill also has a provision for live-in couples, which requires partners to notify the registrar within a month of entering a live-in relationship and also while terminating a live-in relationship. It prescribes up to three months in jail for failing to register a live-in relationship.
We made the draft as per the constitutional system: Dhami
In the Assembly, Dhami stated that the draft of the bill was prepared in conformity with the Constitution. "After independence, the makers of the Constitution gave the states the right under Article 44 to introduce the UCC at an appropriate time... People have doubts regarding this. We made the draft as per the constitutional system," he said,
Assam, MP have shown interest in enacting similar law
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has vowed that his state will be the second to adopt the UCC. He stated that his government will present a bill to end polygamy during the upcoming budget session. Madhya Pradesh has also shown interest in enacting a similar law. To be noted, UCC has been operational in Goa since the days of Portuguese rule.
