Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in Uttarakhand from today, marriage and live-in registration will be mandatory

New Delhi: Uttarakhand is going to create history today. Uttarakhand is going to become the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code. This historic law will be implemented at around 12:30 pm just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Uttarakhand. According to officials, UCC will be implemented in entire Uttarakhand. This law will also apply to the people of Uttarakhand living outside the state.

The UCC portal will be unveiled at the state secretariat today. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will lead the program. A day earlier (January 26), CM Dhami said that the UCC will lay the foundation of a harmonious society free from discrimination on the basis of religion, gender, caste or community.

CM Dhami further said, ‘We are fulfilling our commitments. The removal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir is an example of this. The state government has completed its work and preparations have been made to implement the Uniform Civil Code across the state from January 2025.’

The Chief Minister further said, ‘Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we had promised the people of the state to bring UCC before the 2022 assembly elections. After the formation of the government, we did it on priority. A draft of the Uniform Civil Code was prepared and an Act was brought on it. Now we are going to fulfill that promise fully and formally. This will be in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of building a harmonious India, where there will be no discrimination against any religion, gender, caste or community.’

Goa has the status of a special state in the Indian Constitution. Also, the Parliament had given Goa the right to implement the Portuguese Civil Code by making a law. Therefore, Goa is the only state where UCC is applicable. Now Uttarakhand will become the first state where Uniform Civil Code will be implemented after independence.

Uniform Civil Code means having the same law for all the citizens living in the country (people of every religion, caste, gender). If civil code is implemented in any state, then there will be same law for every citizen in all matters like marriage, divorce, child adoption and property division as well as live-in relationships. Along with marriage, it will be mandatory for couples living in live-in relationships to get registered.