After Uttarakhand, This State Planning To Implement UCC That Impacts Live-In, Marriages

It sets equal marriageable age for men and women, grounds of divorce and procedures across all religions, and bans polygamy and 'halala'. 

The UCC will govern and regulate the laws relating to marriage and divorce, succession, live-in relationships and related matters.

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Gujarat UCC: A week after Uttarakahnd implemented the Uniform Civil Code, the Gujarat government on Tuesday formed a committee under a retired Supreme Court judge to assess the need for the UCC and prepare a draft bill.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the five-member committee will headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai and has been asked to submit its report within 45 days.

"To assess the need for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and to prepare a draft bill for the same, we have decided to form a committee under the former judge of the Supreme Court," he said.

The state government will decide on the implementation of the UCC after receiving the report.

Other members of the committee include retired IAS officer CL Meena, advocate RC Kodekar, educationist Daxesh Thakar and social worker Gita Shroff.

The Uttarakhand government implemented the Uniform Civil Code on January 27, making it the first state in independent India to put into effect such a law. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the implementation of the law is a true tribute to the makers of the Constitution, BR Ambedkar, and all the respected members of the Constituent Assembly.

How Will UCC Impact Citizens?

The UCC will govern and regulate the laws relating to marriage and divorce, succession, live-in relationships and related matters. It sets equal marriageable age for men and women, grounds of divorce and procedures across all religions, and bans polygamy and 'halala'. 

Under this, marriage can be solemnised only between those parties; none of whom has a living spouse, both are mentally capable of giving legal permission, the man should have completed at least 21 years of age and the woman 18 years of age. They should not be in the ambit of "prohibited relationships".

The UCC makes registration of all marriages and live-in relationships mandatory. Live-in partners are required to submit a formal statement of their relationship to the local registrar, who will conduct a summary inquiry to verify compliance with legal stipulations.

The UCC also brings significant changes on succession and inheritance. Now testamentary successions, the process of passing down a person’s property and belongings to others after they die, require detailed documentation. Any soldier or air force personnel engaged in an expedition, actual warfare, or a mariner at sea can make a privileged will for which rules have been kept flexible.