Chief Minister Dhami presented the bill in the House
Calls it a historic moment of pride for each one of us
If implemented successfully, it could be a model for other states to adopt
Widely perceived as a test case for BJP to implement Uniform Civil code across the country
Registration of live-in relationship is made mandatory, violation may lead to fine, Jail or both
Amit Pandey
Dehradun: The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill — which proposes uniform marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance laws for all citizens irrespective of their religion in Uttarakhand — was tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday (February 6). Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami presented the Bill in the House. In a symbolic gesture, he entered the Assembly with an original copy of the Constitution. The BJP MLAs welcomed the tabling of the Bill with thumping of desks and chants of “Jai Sri Ram” and “Vande Mataram”. While presenting the bill amidst slogan shouting CM Dhami said, ” it’s a historic moment of pride for each one of us.”
This session of Uttarakhand Assembly has been convened especially to pass the Uniform Civil Code. The 192-page bill is divided into four parts – marriage & divorce, succession, live-in relationships, and miscellaneous. Among the bill’s highlights are stringent provisions for failure to register live in relationship. If a couple doesn’t register their live in status with district officials, they can face a maximum of six months jail or a fine of Rs 25,000 or both. . It also proposes the banning of practices like polygamy and bringing in a uniform marriage age for citizens from all communities. The bill has also weighed in on Islamic practices such as halala, iddat and some forms of triple talaq, added reports. There is also a provision for equal rights on adoption as per the rules defined in the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act. However, tribals have been kept out of its ambit.
If the bill secures passage and becomes law, Uttarakhand will stand as the first state in post-Independence India to adopt the UCC. This move follows the interest expressed by other BJP-ruled states like Assam and Madhya Pradesh in implementing a similar law. Goa, having had a common civil code during its Portuguese rule, has a precedent in this regard.
Before the start of the session, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be “for the good of all sections” and there is no need to worry as he urged members of other parties to debate the bill in the House in a positive manner. “Not only Uttarakhand but the entire country was waiting for the UCC. The wait is coming to an end on Tuesday when it will be tabled in the state assembly. The whole country will be watching how the bill is brought in the House here and passed,” Dhami said.
The bill is expected to sail through in the assembly as the ruling BJP has 47 members in the 70-strong house. The legislation will then be sent to the governor, the state’s constitutional head. Once approved, it will become a law.
Modi’s Advocacy for UCC
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advocated for a Uniform Civil Code in June of the previous year, stressing the impracticality of having different legal frameworks for various family members. This push aligns with the vision of a unified legal structure for the entire country.
The draft was strategically prepared earlier in the year by a committee constituted by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The committee engaged with a diverse cross-section of citizens, conducting discussions with over 2 lakh individuals and key stakeholders.
Notably, the commitment to implement a Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand was a significant electoral promise made by Chief Minister Dhami during the 2022 assembly polls. He anticipates that the successful implementation of the UCC in Uttarakhand could serve as a model for other states to adopt.
– Security has been tightened outside the Uttarakhand Assembly in Dehradun ahead of its tabling in the House on Tuesday.
– A major poll promise of Dhami, the final draft of the UCC which ran into 740 pages across four volumes was submitted to him by a five-member panel.
– The panel formed by Dhami to prepare the UCC draft received 2.33 lakh written suggestions online and held more than 70 meetings to interact with around 60,000 people ahead of making the draft.
– The Implementation of the bill will provide a uniform legal framework for marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance laws for all citizens across all faiths.
– As the Centre backs the bill, Congress is at loggerheads with the Dhami government in the state and walked out of a meeting to protest against the decision to waive the Question Hour in the special assembly session.
– The passage of the UCC Bill will mark the fulfilment of Dhami’s most promised poll promise ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls.
– The Dhami government constituted a committee to prepare a draft for the UCC in March 2022.
– The panel for the UCC was headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai.
According to sources, the bill will likely ban the practice of Halala and tighten rules around live-in relationships.
