The committee responsible for drafting rules for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand has concluded its discussions and is preparing to present its recommendations to the Chief Minister in a booklet format. If approved, the UCC could be implemented in the state by November 9.
Previously, Uttarakhand CM Dhami announced intentions to implement the UCC by November 9, aligning it with the state's 24th foundation day.
The Uttarakhand Assembly passed the UCC Bill in February, and President Droupadi Murmu signed it on March 13, paving the way for Uttarakhand to potentially become the first state in India to enact the UCC.
Shatrughan Singh, Chairman of the Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code Draft Committee on Monay said, "In the final meeting of the five-member draft committee today, the committee has put its final seal on the draft report of the UCC. After printing the UCC draft report, the committee will submit this report to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami," reported ANI.
In addition to digital facilities for marriage and live-in registrations, the committee has proposed will documentation and modifications as part of its recommendations. The Rules Making & Implementation Committee, which has held over 130 meetings since its formation in February, is finalising a comprehensive 500-page report for submission to the state government, said several media reports.
Uttarakhand Assembly approved the UCC addressing laws pertaining to marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships. Subsequently, the Rules Making & Implementation Committee was established to outline the implementation of the UCC's provisions.
Other BJP-ruled states are also looking to implement the civil code. Rajasthan has expressed its intention to introduce a UCC bill in the upcoming assembly session.
The implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will subject all citizens of the country, regardless of religion, to a unified set of rules governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and other personal matters.
In his Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for the implementation of a ‘secular civil code’ in India and to eliminate the 'discriminatory communal civil code.'