Uttarakhand Makes History: First State to Implement Uniform Civil Code

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Dehradun (Uttam Hinju News): Uttarakhand has taken a historic step today and implemented the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced this by launching the official portal. With this, Uttarakhand has become the first state in India where UCC has been implemented. The date for implementing UCC was already fixed on January 27. Chief Minister Dhami said on the occasion of the portal launch, today is a historic day not only for Uttarakhand but for the entire country. The team has worked tirelessly in making this draft. We have fulfilled the promise made to the public. UCC is not against any religion, but it will give equal rights to women of all religions in the state. UCC will promote women empowerment and will stop evil practices like Halala Pratha, polygamy and child marriage.

He also said that this law will bring equality in the society and will ensure equal rights and obligations for all citizens. The purpose of UCC is to bring uniformity in the laws related to personal civil matters on the basis of caste, religion and gender. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had made the UCC a major election promise in the 2022 assembly elections. In the very first cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Dhami after returning to power, the formation of an expert committee to prepare the draft of the UCC was approved.

The Uttarakhand UCC will regulate marriage, divorce, succession, live-in relationships and other related subjects. The code prescribes equal age of marriage, grounds and procedures for divorce for men and women of all religions, while banning practices like polygamy and halala. An expert committee was constituted on 27 May 2022 under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai. The committee submitted its report prepared in four parts on the basis of interactions with various sections in about one and a half years to the state government on 2 February 2024. Based on this report, the UCC Bill was passed in a special session of the Assembly on 7 February 2024 and a month later, on 12 March 2024, the President also gave his assent to it.