DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government has approved significant amendments to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) rules, notably broadening the definition of identity proof for registrations, including those related to live-in relationships, and strengthening safety measures within the code.
The state cabinet, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, has given its final approval to the Uniform Civil Code (Fourth Amendment) Rules, 2025. The Home Department accordingly issued the notification, making the changes effective immediately.
The most notable change concerns the identity documents required for UCC registration on the official portal. Earlier, the Aadhaar card was the primary, and often the sole, document mandated.
“The definition of proof of identity has been substantially broadened,” a government source confirmed. Under the new notification, registration will now accept a wider array of documents alongside the Aadhaar card. These include a passport, voter ID, ration card, PAN card and driving licence, in addition to other valid identification documents issued by central or state governments.
Crucially, wherever the text previously specified the “Aadhaar number” or the word “Aadhaar”, it has now been replaced with the more inclusive term “proof of identity”.
In addition to offering more flexibility on identity requirements, the amendments also address procedural timelines for registration processes, particularly those concerning marriage registration and the declaration of legal heirs.
The Sub-Registrar is now granted five days to request additional information from registrants in standard cases. For urgent matters requiring immediate processing, this timeline has been reduced to 24 hours.
Speaking on the development, Secretary of the Home Department, Shailesh Bagoli, stated, “The Chief Minister has approved the Uniform Civil Code (Fourth Amendment) Rules, 2025, through the deviation process. It will be presented in the next Cabinet meeting for formal ratification.”
Uttarakhand is the first state in independent India to implement the Uniform Civil Code, which officially came into effect on 27 January this year.
This latest revision marks the fourth amendment to the UCC rules since its enactment. Officials indicate that these continuous adjustments are being made based on ground-level feedback and administrative necessities to ensure the smooth functioning and accessibility of the code.
An official spokesperson confirmed, “The government emphasised that while the registration process has been simplified, security measures related to live-in relationships have simultaneously been strengthened.”