DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand, the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), is considering a new nikahnama framework, including the registration of qazis and clerics who solemnise marriages and stronger documentation.
The Dhami government and the State Waqf Board say the initiative will improve procedures, but it raises questions about religious practices and women’s rights ahead of the next Assembly election.
The board is examining ways to record the identities of those conducting nikah, collect details at ceremonies and organise marriage documents. The proposed format, legal provisions and implementation mechanism are yet to be finalised. Officials say the aim is to align nikah records with the UCC, which sets common state rules for marriage and divorce.
Waqf Board chairman Shadab Shams told TNIE that residents were adapting to the UCC, which has been in force for about a year and a half. “The framework does not permit more than one marriage. Clear rules must be followed. We are now much more serious about nikah, divorce and women’s rights,” he said.
Minority Welfare Minister Khajan Das said the government wanted to make the nikahnama “more robust” and was considering registration for clerics who solemnise marriages. The measure, he said, would help prevent difficulties during the marriage process and ensure that records relating to the union were reliable. Further details, including the proposed procedure, could be announced within two to three months.
The draft may require details such as witnesses’ addresses and Aadhaar numbers to be recorded during nikah. The board says improved records could help reduce the risk of fraud and make it easier for couples to obtain marriage certificates. It has not clarified whether the registration of clerics or any proposed documentation requirement would be mandatory, or how the system would interact with existing religious practices.
Chairman Shams also referred to the legal ban on instant triple talaq, saying the broader aim was to encourage couples to preserve their relationships. He raised concerns about halala and iddat and said helplines would be announced for women reporting physical or mental abuse. “No woman should be forced to observe iddat,” he said.
Waqf Board lawyer S.C. Virmani, who is advising on legal issues, said the board was acting as a link between the government and the community. “The purpose is not to oppose any community or individual, but to address social problems and improve the process connected with nikah,” he said.
Reacting to the development, Avikal Thapliyal, an analyst on Uttarakhand affairs, said, “The proposal goes beyond a mere change in the marriage form. It touches upon legal rights, religious customs and the implementation of the UCC in the state. With the Assembly elections approaching, the move is likely to come under political scrutiny and trigger a debate within the Muslim community.”