Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code: All You Need To Know

Uttarakhand is all set to become the second Indian state and the first after independence to have a Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

The Uttarakhand Cabinet approved the final draft of the UCC, which proposes uniform civil laws for all communities in the state and will be tabled in the legislative assembly on Tuesday.

BCCL

Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code

The UCC will provide a legal framework for uniform marriage, divorce, land, property, and inheritance laws for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.

The UCC drafting panel also comprised retired justice Pramod Kohli, social activist Manu Gaur, former Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh, and Vice Chancellor of Doon University, Surekha Dangwal. The drafting panel was given a total of four extensions.

BCCL

The passage of the UCC Bill will mark the fulfillment of a major promise made by the BJP to the people of the state in the run-up to the 2022 Assembly polls.

Features of Uttarakhand UCC

Some of the key features proposed in the Uttarakhand UCC bill include:

• Equal property rights for children regardless of their gender
• Abolish distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate children regarding property rights.
• Adopted, surrogacy-born, or assisted reproductive technology children will be treated equally with biological children.
• After a person¡¯s demise, the spouse, children, and parents will have equal property rights.
• Practices like halala, iddat, and triple talaq will be punishable offences.
• Polygamy will be prohibited across religions.
• A fixed marriage age for both genders will be standardized.
• Tribal populations may be exempt from specific provisions of the UCC.
• Measures to regulate population growth will be implemented.
• Live-in relationships will be addressed and regulated.
• Marriage, divorce, land, and property rights will be governed by a unified legal structure.

Uttarakhand UCC vs Goa Civil Code

Uttarakhand will join Goa as the only state with an operational UCC.

So far Goa has been the only state in India which had a uniform civil code regardless of religion, gender and caste. The Portuguese Civil Code is a legacy of its colonial past and has been in place since 1867.

BCCL

Uniform Civil Code for India

The Union Government has also proposed to implement a Uniform Civil Code across the country.

Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the Uniform Civil Code is in the consultation process and being reviewed by the Law Commission of India.

"This is not just the issue of the Centre; the makers of the Constitution had discussed this even when the Constitution was being made...Right now, this matter is under consideration with the Law Commission of India and is in the consultation process. The states can fix it or improve it, and the government of Goa has already worked on UCC," Meghwal said.

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