Uttarakhand has become the first Indian state to implement Uniform Civil Code (UCC), a contentious legislation aimed at unifying personal laws across religions. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced the implementation of UCC on Monday, January 27, hailing it as a milestone in ensuring equality across societies.
“This is our contribution to the Prime Minister’s vision of a developed and self-reliant India,” Dhami said, adding that all necessary approvals and training of officials had been completed for its rollout.
Scope of UCC in Uttarakhand
The UCC governs laws relating to marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships, mandating uniformity across all religions. Key provisions include:
- Setting equal marriageable ages for men and women.
- Banning polygamy and Islamic practices like halala.
- Treating all children as legitimate, regardless of the circumstances of their birth.
- Introducing simplified procedures for creating wills and regulating live-in relationships.
Vice-Chancellor Surekha Dangwal of Doon University, who served on the composing committee, underscored the code’s emphasis on gender equality, stating, “The term illegitimate has been entirely eliminated when discussing children.”. She also emphasized the unique provisions for defense personnel, which include a flexible “privileged will” system for soldiers who are engaged in warfare.
The UCC was a major promise in the BJP’s 2022 election manifesto, which led to the party’s historic second consecutive term in Uttarakhand. Shortly after forming the government in March 2022, Dhami established an expert panel led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai to draft the legislation.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com. Read the full story here.
