First Live-In Registered Under UCC In Uttarakhand, Four Applications Being Verified
Uttarakhand Home Secretary Shailesh Bagoli said that the details of applicants are encrypted and officials can only view the number of applications and registrations.
Days after the Uniform Civil Code came into force, the Uttarakhand government registered the first live-in relationship.
The officials said that so far five applications have been received from live-in couples for the mandatory registration, out of which one has been granted registration. Meanwhile, four other applications are being verified.
Uttarakhand Home Secretary Shailesh Bagoli said that the details of applicants are encrypted and officials can only view the number of applications and registrations. The details of the applications would remain only with the registrars concerned, a report in The Indian Express said.
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“The system is secure, and we have taken precautions against any breach of private information of couples applying for registration,” Bagoli said.
Bajrang Dal leader Vikas Verma has however claimed that they are aware of the details and checking for interfaith couples among the registrants.
On January 27, Uttarakhand became the first state in Independent India to implement the Uniform Civil Code, which promotes equal laws for every citizen across all religions and standardises personal laws on marriage, divorce and property.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also launched a portal designed for the mandatory online registration of marriages, divorce and live-in relationships. The chief minister was the first to register his marriage on the UCC portal.
The UCC's provision for mandatory registration of live-in relationships has been much criticised for its potential to infringe upon people's right to privacy.
However, CM Dhami had justified the registration of live-in relationships by saying mandatory registration of live-in couples would help prevent brutal incidents like the murder of Shraddha Walkar by her live-in partner Aftab.
Meanwhile, Kartikeya Hari Gupta, senior lawyer of Uttarakhand High Court, has called the legislation a move to peep into bedrooms, generally seen in police states which was not envisioned by the country's constitution makers.
Another high court lawyer Dushyant Mainali said that the initial not-so-enthusiastic response from people to the UCC shows that they are not quite eager for it. "Otherwise, at least those who favoured its introduction during consultations with the drafting committee as claimed by the government-appointed panel would have come forward to apply for registration," he said.
What Does UCC In Uttarakhand Mean?
As per the UCC provisions, if a live-in couple fails to submit a statement of their relationship within one month of entering into the alliance to the authorities concerned, they shall be punished on conviction by a judicial magistrate with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or a fine not exceeding Rs 10,000 or both.
The UCC says the punishment will extend to an imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to Rs 25,000 or both if a live-in couple does not apply for registration of their relationship even after being required to do so by a notice.
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