Uniform Civil Code Bill To Be Introduced In Uttarakhand Assembly Today

The Uttarakhand government led by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami will introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the state assembly on Tuesday.

File Photo of Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami

Source : X/@pushkardhami

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday announced that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill will be introduced in the state assembly on February 6. The Uttarakhand cabinet led by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, on Sunday, gave its nod to the final draft of the UCC, marking a crucial step toward its presentation in the state Assembly. The tabling is set to take place after a special four-day session commenced on February 5.

"UCC is a long-awaited bill. The wait is going to end soon. We will present the bill in the Assembly tomorrow and all the procedures and debates will take place... The whole country is looking towards Uttarakhand... I request everyone to participate in the debate optimistically," he said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

#WATCH | Dehradun: On Uniform Civil Code Bill to be introduced in Uttarakhand assembly, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says, "UCC is a long-awaited bill. The wait is going to end soon. We will present the bill in the Assembly tomorrow and all the procedures and debates will take place...… pic.twitter.com/G9yhuFigMI

— ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2024

The special assembly session has been specifically convened to pass the UCC legislation and formalise its enactment into law.

Chief Minister Dhami, addressing the media after chairing the crucial cabinet meeting at his official residence on Sunday, expressed, "Today in the Cabinet meeting, we passed the proposal to bring the legislation on the Uniform Civil Code in the upcoming Assembly session", as quoted by news agency PTI. 

Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Draft In Uttarakhand

The cabinet's approval of the 740-page UCC draft, presented in four volumes, was a requisite step for its introduction in the Assembly. If implemented, Uttarakhand, under BJP rule, would become the first state post-Independence to adopt the Uniform Civil Code. Goa has been operating under a UCC since the era of Portuguese rule.

Retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, heading a five-member panel, recently submitted the comprehensive UCC draft to Chief Minister Dhami. The security around the Assembly premises has been significantly heightened for the special session extending till February 8.

The Chief Minister attributed the BJP's sweeping victory in the 2022 Uttarakhand elections to the pre-poll promise of implementing the UCC. After securing a second consecutive term, Dhami prioritized fulfilling this commitment, forming a committee in May 2022 to prepare the UCC draft.

The committee, operating over nearly two years with four extensions, received 2.33 lakh written suggestions online and conducted over 70 meetings, interacting with around 60,000 individuals. The UCC, when implemented, will establish a legal framework for uniform marriage, divorce, land, property, and inheritance laws across all faiths in the state.

Expressing optimism, Chief Minister Dhami, on the day of receiving the final draft, hoped that other states would emulate Uttarakhand's example and adopt the UCC using the template provided by the state.

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