Uttarakhand enacts the UCC!

 



Ah, the hill state of Uttarakhand, home to the Himalayas, harrowing hairpin bends, and holy pilgrimages, has now pulled off something that’s been stuck in India’s “To Do” list longer than half-finished WhatsApp forwards: it enacted the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) — and did it with a mountainy mix of drama, dedication, and legislative danda (stick).

Imagine a party where every guest brings their own food, music, and rules — one person’s dancing to bhangra, another's serving sushi, and someone else is fasting altogether. Now imagine the host (a very tired Indian legal system) trying to keep this party peaceful.

The Uniform Civil Code is basically the host deciding, “Enough! From now on, everyone eats the same biryani and dances to the same Spotify playlist — legally.” The UCC proposes a common set of laws for all citizens — regardless of religion — in personal matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and alimony. Yes, that’s the legal version of a joint family WhatsApp group where no one is allowed to mute anyone.

 So, what did Uttarakhand do?

In early 2024, Uttarakhand became the first Indian state post-Independence to enact a full-fledged UCC. While the rest of the country debated, dilly-dallied, and ducked difficult dinner conversations about it, Uttarakhand basically said:
“Hold my bhang ki thandai. We’re doing this.”

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami (aka The Man Who Did It) presented the bill in the assembly and got it passed faster than a tourist running back down from Tungnath because it started snowing unexpectedly.

 What does the code say?

The UCC in Uttarakhand is like a Himalayan thali — a bit of everything:

  • Uniform rules for marriage and divorce (sorry, you can’t pull a “my religion allows this” card anymore)

  • Equal inheritance rights for sons and daughters (finally, property distribution won't need a boardroom full of relatives and astrologers)

  • Ban on practices like polygamy and triple talaq across communities

  • Registration of live-in relationships (yep, the hills are now watching you — so no more telling your landlord, “That’s just my cousin visiting for a very long time.”)

Also included: gender-equal adoption laws, uniform age of marriage, and mandatory registration of marriages, regardless of whether it's a palace wedding or a secret ceremony in a temple behind the local paan shop.

 The good, the bad, and the mildly awkward

The Good:

  • Equality, baby! No more legal VIP passes based on religion.

  • Women’s rights get a serious boost — and in many cases, actual clarity.

  • Simplifies an otherwise messy and inconsistent web of personal laws.

The Bad:

  • Critics say it might not have considered the diversity within communities.

  • Implementation could be like trekking to Kedarnath with two suitcases and no sherpa — heavy and slightly terrifying.

The Awkward:

  • Live-in couples now must register with the district magistrate — imagine standing in line with honeymooners, aunties, and lawyers trying to say, “We’re not married, but it’s official now, sir.”

  • Grandparents across Uttarakhand are reportedly updating their gossip with new legal accuracy. “Sharma ji’s daughter’s boyfriend? Registered!”

 Why Uttarakhand first?

Uttarakhand is predominantly Hindu and relatively homogeneous compared to states like Uttar Pradesh or Kerala. So politically and practically, it was the “safest mountain to climb.” Also, the state likes to be first in a lot of things — first for yoga tourism, spiritual detoxes, and now legal uniformity.

Some say it was a pilot project for the rest of India, and if all goes well, the Centre might say, “Ab sab karenge” (Now everyone will do it).

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