Is Live-In Relationship Registration Mandatory Under UCC? Here's What Uttarakhand HC Says

Nainital: The Uttarakhand High Court on Friday heard a petition challenging the mandatory registration of live-in relationships under the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which was implemented in the state last month.

A division bench of Chief Justice Guhanathan Narendar and Justice Ashish Naithani heard the petition and clubbed it with other similar pleas, setting the next hearing for April 1.

Registration For Live-In Relationship Mandatory

The petition was filed by a couple from Maharashtra and Ranikhet (Uttarakhand), who argued that making live-in relationship registration mandatory was "unconstitutional."

Senior Supreme Court advocate Raju Ramachandran, appearing for the petitioners, said the registration form asks for details that violate privacy and argued that the government does not have the right to interfere in an individual’s private life.

He also pointed out that the registration process reflects a bias, as such details are not required for marriage registration.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing via video conference, presented the state and Central governments' stance on the matter.

Earlier this month, the division bench directed both governments to file a reply within six weeks on multiple petitions challenging the UCC’s live-in relationship registration provision.