Uttarakhand Leads the Way with UCC Implementation
On January 27, 2025, Uttarakhand became the first state in India to roll out the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which aims to standardize personal laws across all religions. The UCC provisions cover marriage, divorce, and property laws, ensuring equal legal rights for all citizens regardless of religion. As part of this initiative, the state government launched an online portal for the mandatory registration of marriages, divorces, and live-in relationships.

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Live-In Relationship Registration Under the UCC

In the first 10 days since the UCC’s implementation, only one live-in relationship has been successfully registered in Uttarakhand, despite five applications being submitted. The registration process has sparked mixed reactions from the public, with one application already granted and four others under review.

The UCC mandate requires all live-in couples to register their relationships. This measure, however, has raised concerns about privacy infringement, with critics arguing that it might lead to unwanted surveillance of personal relationships.

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Criticism of UCC’s Privacy Concerns

The UCC’s provisions for mandatory live-in relationship registration have faced criticism, particularly regarding their potential violation of privacy rights. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami justified the policy, citing cases like the Shraddha Walkar murder, where registration could have prevented such incidents.

However, some legal experts, including Kartikeya Hari Gupta, a senior lawyer from the Uttarakhand High Court, have questioned the UCC’s constitutionality. Gupta described the move as an attempt to “peep into private lives” and argued that such measures were more fitting for a police state than a democratic one.

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Initial Response to the UCC

The slow initial response to the UCC has sparked discussions regarding its effectiveness and public reception. Dushyant Mainali, a lawyer with the Uttarakhand High Court, noted that many people may not fully understand the UCC provisions, particularly the penalties for failing to register live-in relationships.

Under the UCC, live-in couples are required to register their relationship within one month of entering into the partnership. Failure to do so results in penalties, including three months of imprisonment, a fine of up to Rs 10,000, or both. Continued non-compliance could result in further penalties, including up to six months of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 25,000.

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What Lies Ahead for UCC in Uttarakhand

Despite the initial lukewarm response, Mainali believes that public understanding of the UCC will increase over time, leading to more compliance. He emphasized that the political significance of the UCC might be the primary driver at this stage, but as people familiarize themselves with the law’s provisions, there may be greater public participation.

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Conclusion: A Milestone in Legal Reforms

The implementation of Uttarakhand’s UCC is a bold step towards standardizing personal laws, but the slow uptake in live-in relationship registrations suggests that public awareness and acceptance will play crucial roles in its success. While some argue that the law’s political agenda overshadows its practicality, only time will tell how it is received and implemented across the state.