Uttarakhand Implements India's First Uniform Civil Code

Uttarakhand has notified its Uniform Civil Code (UCC), becoming India's pioneer in standardizing personal laws related to marriage and inheritance. The code aims to safeguard individual rights and promote social harmony while exempting Scheduled Tribes and specific communities. Registration timelines and procedural guidelines have been clearly set.

In a historic move, Uttarakhand has officially implemented a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), becoming the first state in India to legally streamline and standardize personal laws concerning marriage, divorce, and inheritance. This significant development is aimed at enhancing legal clarity and fostering social harmony across the state.

The new code applies to all residents of Uttarakhand, with specific exemptions for Scheduled Tribes and protected communities. Under the UCC, marriages must be registered within 60 days post-implementation, while those occurring from March 26, 2010, until now have a six-month registration window. Marriages conducted prior to this date, involving residents who have cohabited since, may register but are not obliged to do so.

Registrations can be completed online or offline, and there are penalties for misinformation. The Act also establishes a transparent appeal process for rejected applications. To ensure efficient monitoring, the state will appoint a registrar general responsible for overseeing compliance with the new provisions.

(With inputs from agencies.)