The Uttarakhand Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in a four-day special session on Wednesday, nearly two years after the committee for drafting the bill was formed.

With the bill passed by the state assembly, Uttarakhand will become the first state since independence to establish a UCC (Goa has had a UCC since it became a Portuguese territory).

Speaking about the bill, Chief Minister Puskar Singh Dhami said the UCC will give equal rights to everyone without any discrimination in matters such as marriage, alimony, inheritance and divorce.

Uttarakhand UCC Bill: From halala ban to rules for live-in couples, highlights at a glance

“UCC will primarily eliminate discrimination against women…UCC will assist in eliminating injustice and wrongdoings against women. It’s time to stop the atrocities against ‘Matrishakti’…discrimination against our sisters and daughters must stop…half of the population It’s time to get equal rights,” he said.

Also Read: Uttarakhand UCC Bill: From halala ban to rules for live-in couples, take a look at the key highlights

About the Uniform Civil Code of Uttarakhand

The UCC seeks to achieve uniformity of law in matters such as interfaith marriage, divorce, and inheritance.

Polygamy and polyandry are prohibited under Section 4(i) of the Act. This section defines who can get married, stating: “Neither spouse is living with a spouse at the time of the marriage”.

Sub-section (iii) above fixes the age of marriage as 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys.

What will happen to couples in live-in relationships after Uttarakhand adopts the Uniform Civil Code?

It also prohibits marriage to individuals whose relationships are 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.