Ukhand Assembly meets to approve UCC Bill; Highlights of spat between BJP, Cong over Lord Ram’s skin color

A day after the Uttarakhand government led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami introduced the Uniform Civil Code in the state legislative assembly, the bill is likely to be passed on Wednesday, February 7. The proceedings of the Uttarakhand Assembly session began at 11 am.

The UCC Bill introduced a common law on marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance applicable to all citizens irrespective of their religious beliefs in the state, except Scheduled Tribes.

Uttarakhand Assembly session begins | Highlights

• Soon after the session began on Wednesday, a quarrel broke out between the BJP and Congress MPs over Lord Ram’s skin colour.
• The Uttarakhand government on Tuesday submitted the Uniform Civil Code Bill to the state Assembly, the first such move by a state after independence. Similar legislation is likely to be adopted in other BJP-ruled states such as Gujarat and Assam.
• After the bill was tabled in the Uttarakhand Assembly on Tuesday, Opposition Leader Yashpal Arya suggested sending the bill to a select committee of the House of Representatives to review its provisions.

Uttarakhand UCC Bill: From Halala ban to rules for live-in couples

• The UCC Bill proposes to create common laws on marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance for all citizens of Uttarakhand (excluding Scheduled Tribes) irrespective of their religious beliefs.
• The bill provides for registration of a common-law relationship in the state and failure to do so within one month will result in a three-month jail sentence. Any children born from this relationship will be considered legitimate.
• The Bill provides that partners in a domestic relationship within the State, whether resident of Uttarakhand or not, are obliged to submit a declaration of relationship under Section 381(1) to the Registrar of their jurisdiction. They all live according to the prescribed format.
• Polygamy and polyandry are prohibited under Section 4(i) of the Act. Clause (iii) above provides that the age of marriage is 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys.
• The bill also prohibits marriage to an individual who is in a relationship mentioned in the exceptions list. This includes people who share a common ancestor, or a relationship between a man and his widowed daughter-in-law.
• Section 30 of the UCC Act prohibits halala, or the practice of marrying and divorcing a second man before remarrying the first husband. Article 30(ii) provides: “The right to remarry includes the right to unconditionally remarry a divorced spouse, such as marrying a third person before remarriage.”