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Updated 14:01 IST, January 27th 2025

BIG BREAKING: Uttarakhand Becomes First State to Implement Uniform Civil Code

The implementation of UCC marks a big move as it was one of BJP 's big promises during the 2022 Assembly elections in Uttarakhand.

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Uniform Civil Code
Uttarakhand Becomes First State to Implement Uniform Civil Code | Image: Republic

Dehradun: In a significant move, Uttarakhand on Monday (January 27) implemented the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), becoming the first Indian state to have done so.

Speaking at the press conference, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "Today is a historic day not only for our state but for the entire country as we are implementing UCC (Uniform Civil Code) in the state..."

We've Kept Our Promise: CM Dhami

The implementation of UCC marks a big move as it was one of BJP 's big promises during the 2022  Assembly elections in Uttarakhand.

Earlier in January, speaking on the day of statehood of Uttarakhand, Dhami said, "We are celebrating 2025 as the silver jubilee year of statehood to Uttarakhand. It is going to be a year of big achievements. We have kept our promise of bringing a UCC. We will implement it in January. The Gangotri of UCC will spring from Uttarakhand and spread to the rest of the country."

In a post on X, Dhami wrote, "Dear residents of the state, The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be implemented in the state from January 27, 2025, making Uttarakhand the first state in independent India where this law will come into effect. All the necessary preparations have been completed to implement UCC, which includes approval of the rules of the Act and training of the concerned officials. UCC will bring uniformity in the society and ensure equal rights and responsibilities for all citizens. Uniform Civil Code is just an offering made by our state in the great yagya being done by the Prime Minister to make the country a developed, organized, harmonious and self-reliant nation. Under the Uniform Civil Code, an attempt has been made to bring uniformity in all laws relating to personal civil matters that discriminate on the basis of caste, religion, sex etc."

Here's What You Need to Know About UCC:

The Uttarakhand government has announced the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Act, 2024, which will regulate various personal laws such as marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships across all residents of the state, excluding Scheduled Tribes and certain protected communities.

It will introduce a uniform set of guidelines, ensuring equal legal treatment for all individuals regardless of religion. The key provisions include a uniform minimum marriageable age of 18 for women and 21 for men, along with a ban on polygamy and the practice of 'halala.' The law also establishes uniform grounds for divorce and standard procedures for all citizens.

Under the new Act, marriages can only be solemnised between parties where neither has a living spouse, are mentally capable of giving legal consent, and are not related within prohibited degrees. While couples may continue to follow their religious customs for marriage rituals, it will be mandatory to register all marriages within 60 days of solemnization. The Act also includes provisions for registering live-in relationships, with an online registration system for easy access.

The law will also allow for the registration of marriages and live-in partnerships that took place before March 26, 2010, or outside the state, as long as both parties have been living together since then and meet the legal eligibility requirements. Such registrations, though optional, must be completed within six months of the Act’s enforcement.

Furthermore, any soldier or Air Force official engaged in combat or at sea, allowing them to create a privileged will under flexible guidelines.

The UCC Act will also streamline processes for the creation and cancellation of wills, as well as supplementary codicils, in testamentary succession.

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Published 13:15 IST, January 27th 2025