In a significant move towards implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and his cabinet have approved a comprehensive draft report prepared by a panel led by retired Supreme Court justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The report, marking the culmination of an exhaustive consultative process that began on May 27, 2022, has been slated to go before the state assembly in a session that began on February 6.
This pivotal legislation encompasses a raft of reforms aimed at fostering gender equality and social cohesion across different facets of civil law, including marriage, divorce, inheritance, and property. The draft bill proposes a prohibition on practices like polygamy, child marriage, halala, and iddat, and mandates uniform age for marriage and inheritance rights irrespective of religious affiliations. Interestingly, while this progressive move is set to make Uttarakhand the first state post-independence to adopt a UCC, scheduled tribes have been strategically exempted in recognition of their unique status.
On a strategic note, Chief Minister Dhami highlighted that the UCC aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ethos of inclusive growth and national unity. The draft, reflecting extensive public engagement with feedback from over 230,000 written submissions and input from around 60,000 individuals at public forums, includes registration requirements for marriages and live-in relationships, equitable property rights, and the extension of adoption rights to all, including Muslim women. With opposing viewpoints on such sweeping reforms, the execution and impact of the proposed UCC in Uttarakhand, following the footsteps of Goa’s existing UCC legacy from Portuguese times, will be closely watched as a possible model for other Indian states.