Introduction
On February 7, 2024, the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code of Uttarakhand Act, 2024, becoming the first state in independent India to formally enact and implement a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance, and live-in relationships—excluding Scheduled Tribes The Times of India+3Wikipedia+3The Indian Express+3The Hindu+9The Hindu+9Wikipedia+9. The Act reflects a long-standing constitutional vision under Article 44, and marks a significant landmark in India’s socio-legal evolution.
Background and Legislative Journey
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An expert committee, chaired by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, drafted a comprehensive four-volume, 749-page report in early 2024 after consulting over 60,000 individuals and receiving 2.33 lakh written submissions, forming the basis of the Bill The Hindu+4Wikipedia+4www.ndtv.com+4.
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BJP had made UCC implementation a key campaign promise in the 2022 Uttarakhand Assembly polls The Hindu+5The Hindu+5www.ndtv.com+5.
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President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent in March 2024, formalizing the Bill as Act No. 1 of 2024 Insights IAS+2The Hindu+2The Indian Express+2.
Key Provisions of the UCC Act
Marriage & Divorce
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Minimum marriage age: 21 for men, 18 for women (universal across religions) The Indian Express+6Insights IAS+6www.ndtv.com+6.
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Marital registration mandatory within 60 days; failure attracts fines and imprisonment The Times of India+5Insights IAS+5Reddit+5.
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Uniform grounds for divorce: cruelty, adultery, desertion, irretrievable breakdown, mental illness, etc. No distinction by religion Business Today+10Insights IAS+10Reddit+10.
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Custody and maintenance: Children up to 5 years of age assigned to mother; maintenance obligations uniform irrespective of religion The Hindu.
Inheritance & Succession
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Equal rights for sons and daughters, eliminating distinctions between ancestral vs self-acquired property Business Today+3Insights IAS+3Wikipedia+3.
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Legitimate and illegitimate children, including those via surrogacy or adoption, are treated equally The Indian Express+3India Today+3The Hindu+3.
Live-in Relationships
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Mandatory registration within 30 days; penalties for non-compliance or false statements include up to 6 months imprisonment and ₹25,000 fine Reddit+3Insights IAS+3www.ndtv.com+3.
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Children born of such relationships are granted full legal rights, and deserted partners can seek maintenance Insights IAS.
Prohibition of Practices
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Polygamy, polyandry, halala, and iddat banned for all citizens regardless of religion The Hindu+15The Hindu+15The Times of India+15.
Exemptions
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Scheduled Tribes are exempted from the law to preserve customary practices The Indian ExpressInsights IAS.
Implementation Timeline & Mechanism
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Effective implementation began January 27, 2025 with a state UCC portal and mobile app facilitating digital registration for marriage, divorce, live-in partnerships, inheritance, and succession matters Reddit+12India Today+12drishtiias.com+12.
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To date, 95.6% of Uttarakhand police personnel in the Kumaon division have registered marriages under the UCC, signaling strong institutional enforcement The Indian Express+7Reddit+7The Times of India+7.
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Between January 2025 and April 2025, there were over 1.4 lakh marriage registrations and 178 divorces, but only 28 live-in relationships registered—no penalties imposed yet; authorities favor voluntary compliance Reddit+1The Times of India+1.
Support & Criticisms
Advocacy & Support
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Strong push from BJP leadership, with CM Dhami defending UCC as aligned with voter mandate and spiritual-cultural heritage preservation navbharattimes.indiatimes.com+15Wikipedia+15The Times of India+15.
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Seen as empowering for women: curbing age-old injustices in personal laws, inheritance, and divorce rights The HinduThe Hindu.
Debates & Legal Concerns
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Exemption for tribals raises questions on the uniformity principle; critics challenge why Scheduled Castes and others were excluded Reddit.
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Mandatory live-in registration provision has been challenged in court as an invasion of privacy, especially for interfaith couples Reddit.
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Lawyers’ protests: The Dehradun Bar Association raised objections over property registration rules that reduce junior advocates’ roles and income The Times of India.
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Enforcement controversies: A former BJP MLA was expelled after allegations of polygamy under UCC surfaced—raising questions about practical enforcement consistency The Times of India.
Significance & Constitutional Implications
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Article 44 realisation: Brings India’s first real-world UCC into force—something envisioned in Directive Principles but not mandated until now.
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Gender equality and uniform rights across personal laws, offering legal parity to previously marginalized groups.
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Precedent-setting state-level reform: Could inspire other BJP-led states; likely shape Centre-state debate on civil law unification.
Conclusion
Uttarakhand’s UCC Act, 2024, represents a bold, historic legal experiment in India's social and constitutional journey. By merging diverse religious personal laws into a unified civil code—while exempting tribal communities—it attempts to balance equality with cultural sensitivities. While it promises greater gender justice and legal clarity, challenges concerning privacy, implementation, and legal uniformity remain unresolved.
Its real test will lie in long-term enforcement, citizen awareness, judicial review outcomes, and wider acceptance across India's plural society.