UTTARAKHAND IMPLEMENTS UNIFORM CIVIL CODE (UCC)

GS 2 – POLITY

On January 27, 2025, Uttarakhand became the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which standardizes personal laws across communities, ensuring equality in matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, and live-in relationships.

Key Features:

• Unified Legal Standards: Establishes uniform laws for marriage, divorce, and inheritance.
• Marriage Age: Sets the legal marriage age at 21 for men and 18 for women.
• Abolition of Polygamy and Halala: Prohibits polygamy and the practice of ‘halala,’ which required a woman to marry another man before remarrying her ex-husband.
• Gender Equality in Inheritance: Ensures equal inheritance rights for both genders.
• Live-in Relationships: Grants equal legal rights to children born from live-in relationships.
• Online Registration: A portal has been launched for easy registration of marriages, divorces, and live-in relationships.

Exemptions:
The law does not apply to Scheduled Tribes and certain protected communities, allowing them to maintain their cultural practices.

Public Response:

The UCC has sparked mixed reactions, with supporters advocating for equality and opponents fearing societal division. The law was passed after extensive consultations with over 230,000 citizens.