'Law Of Uniformity And Holistic Development Of Women': Uttarakhand CM Dhami After Assembly Passes UCC Bill

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the law is not against anyone but for the holistic development of women.

New Delhi: After the Uttarakhand Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday said that today is a special day for the state. He also thanked the Assembly members and people of Uttarakhand for their support and blessing that helped them to pass the Bill.

The UCC Bill, proposing uniform laws for marriage, divorce, land, property, and inheritance in Uttarakhand, was introduced in the Uttarakhand Assembly on Tuesday by Chief Minister Dhami.

Speaking of the Bill, CM Dhami asserted that UCC is a law of "equality, uniformity, and equal rights."

Addressing a press conference, CM Dhami said, "Today is a special day for Uttarakhand... The bill which had been long awaited, for which there had been a demand for a long time has been passed in the Uttarakhand Assembly..."

He said that the law is not against anyone but for the holistic development of women.

"This law is of equality, uniformity and equal rights. There were many doubts regarding this but the two-day discussion in the assembly clarified everything. This law is not against anyone. It is for the women who have to face difficulty because of the social norms... This will strengthen their self-confidence. This law is for the holistic development of women... The bill is passed... We will send it to the President. We will implement it in the state as a law, as soon as the President signs it," the CM said.

He further added, "UCC is in favour of everyone; important factors such as marriage, divorce, live-in relationship and alimony have been included in the Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code Bill 2024. We will send the Bill for President’s assent and till then, will make necessary arrangements in the state for its implementation."

The Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code was passed in the state assembly on Wednesday with  80% of MLAs voting in favour of the Bill. The Bill will now have to get Governor Gurmit Singh's assent to become law in Uttarakhand.

The UCC seeks to raise the minimum age for women to get married to promote their education, standardise the process for divorce across religions, and mandate registration of live-in relationships. It also seeks to bring in equal standards of inheritance for women in the state.    

With the passage of the Bill, Uttarakhand has made history as the first state in post-Independence India to adopt a UCC. Goa implemented a UCC during Portuguese rule.