NEW DELHI: Legal experts termed the introduction by the Uttarakhand Assembly's Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill with respect to the Live-in aspect, as "invasion of privacy" and this moral policing might led to harassment of two consenting adults staying together.
Delhi-based lawyer and columnist, Gyanant Sungh, talking to TNIE, said that "This is moral policing. This is against right to privacy, liberty and life guaranteed under the fundametal right to citizens under article 21 of the indian constitution. Such provision may lead to harassment of men and women living together."
Singh also said that the police might unnecessarily harass the men and women living in a live-in relationship. Two adult people living together in a consensual relationship is no crime. So to force them to report such issue may be against their will to keep their relationship a personal affair.
When asked about whether someone can challenge this bill in a court, then Singh said that if it is been challenged, then it would be tested on the touchstone of right to privacy and liberty.
He, however, said that the purpose of this is basically to give and ensure proper justice and maintenance to the fairer sex. He also said that the goal is also for marriage registration compulsory, which was also been made as law by the Supreme Court in its direction.
Another senior lawyer and former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) K C Kaushik, said that this bill, might be having flaws.
"The live-in relationship between two consenting adults is no crime. But thee should be some safeguards to it. The bill asking the men and women to inform about their live-in status may create proven in their right to privacy which is a basic thing of any citizen," he said.
Another senior advocate and noted criminal lawyer, Geeta Luthra, said that it is completely absurd the bill on live-in relationship issues.
"You can not do this. You can not ask the men and women living together -- to inform it to the authorities concerned their status of living together, of they are having a live-in relationship If they are consenting adults staying together."
The introduction of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in the Uttarakhand Assembly has sparked debate among lawyers and others.
Uttarakhand govt in 2021-22 had formed a panel, which is being led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai. The panel also comprised retired justice Pramod Kohli, social activist Manu Gaur, former Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh, and Vice Chancellor of Doon University, Surekha Dangwal.