The Uttarakhand government is planning to convene a special session of the state assembly in order to present the draft of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), according to sources. This draft was prepared earlier in the year by a committee set up by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who worked with a diverse group of citizens and engaged with over 200,000 individuals and key stakeholders.
The UCC refers to a set of laws that are applicable to all citizens of India, regardless of religion, in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption. The draft bill that Uttarakhand will present in the assembly includes a proposal for a complete ban on polygamy. Additionally, there is a provision for live-in couples to register their relationship.
The implementation of a UCC in Uttarakhand was one of the major promises made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the state assembly elections last year. After being re-elected for a second consecutive term, Chief Minister Dhami approved the formation of a committee led by retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai to draft the UCC during the first cabinet meeting under his leadership.
The expert panel, whose tenure has recently been extended until December, has sought opinions from 233,000 individuals, as well as various organizations, institutions, and tribal groups, in order to create the draft. The committee was granted its first extension of six months in November 2022, followed by a second extension of four months in May of this year.
The presentation of the UCC draft in the state assembly marks a significant step towards the realization of a common set of laws that will apply to all citizens of Uttarakhand, irrespective of their religious background. The upcoming special session will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the state’s legal framework regarding personal matters such as marriage and inheritance.
