Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India]: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday reaffirmed the state’s commitment to implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), emphasizing its role in curbing violence in live-in relationships.
Live-in Relationship Registration to Prevent Violence
The UCC in Uttarakhand introduces a framework for registering and regulating live-in relationships, aiming to prevent abuse and violence.
“Those who have been living in live-in relationships will now have to inform the administration and their parents about it. Our effort is not to violate anyone’s privacy. Our effort is to stop the violence that takes place during live-in relationships,” the Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s Office posted on X (formerly Twitter).
CM Dhami Cites Shraddha Walkar Case
Defending the live-in relationship registration provision, CM Dhami referenced the Shraddha Walkar murder case, in which Walkar’s live-in partner, Aftab Amin Poonawala, allegedly killed her in May 2022, dismembered her body into 35 pieces, and disposed of them in a forest.
“In the UCC, we have made a provision to register live-in relationships so that no one like Aaftab can do such brutality again. What is wrong with this?” CM Dhami said.
He added that while drafting the UCC, the government had invited all stakeholders, including Congress, to provide their inputs.
“The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) has been implemented following the Constitution of India… Congress is against women’s empowerment and does not care about the safety of women,” he said.
Uttarakhand Becomes the First State to Implement UCC
On January 27, 2025, Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to officially implement the Uniform Civil Code, launching a dedicated portal and regulations for its enforcement.
The UCC aims to establish uniform personal laws across all communities, addressing issues related to:
- Marriage & Divorce
- Adoption & Inheritance
- Succession & Property Rights
Who is Exempt from Uttarakhand’s UCC?
The UCC applies to all residents of Uttarakhand, except:
- Scheduled Tribes (STs) (as per Article 342 & Article 366(25) of the Constitution)
- Protected authority-empowered persons and communities (under Part XXI of the Constitution)
Key Marriage Regulations Under Uttarakhand’s UCC
According to the Uniform Civil Code Act, 2024, a marriage in Uttarakhand must meet the following criteria:
✅ Both partners must be mentally capable of giving legal consent.
✅ The minimum age is 21 years for men and 18 years for women.
✅ Neither party should have a living spouse at the time of marriage.
✅ The couple must not be in a prohibited relationship under the law.
The UCC’s implementation is seen as a landmark move in bringing legal uniformity and social justice, while also sparking political debates over its impact on personal freedoms.