Uttarakhand government will hold two sessions of the assembly in January and will present the state reservation bill and the UCC bill. (Photo | PTI)

Uttarakhand set to implement Uniform Civil Code from Jan

Bill’s objective is to have consistency in personal laws across all communities: State finance minister

by · The New Indian Express

DEHRADUN: As a part of its election manifesto, the state BJP government in Uttarakhand has signaled its intention to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) by convening a special session of the Assembly this month. Speaking to this newspaper, state’s finance minister Premchand Agrawal said the state government is
poised to take a major step towards implementing the UCC this month.

“The Uttarakhand government will hold two sessions of the assembly, including a special session in January, during which it will present the state reservation bill and the UCC bill.”

Sources said the government plans to pass the UCC Bill in the assembly during a special session scheduled for the last week of January. This session is expected to be convened following the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Another session is slated for February, which will be dedicated to the budget.

“The implementation of the UCC will entail the creation of laws that apply to all religions in the context of marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption,” said Agrawal. The primary objective of the Bill is to establish consistency in personal laws across different religious communities.

Sources said the report related to the bill would include provisions for gender equality and equal rights for daughters in ancestral property. However, it does not include a provision to increase the legal age of marriage for girls from 18 to 21. With UCC’s implementation, Uttarakhand will become the first state in the country to have such a law.

Earlier, UCC was applicable in Goa, but this Act has been in force there since before independence. The Uttarakhand government established an expert committee on May 27, 2022, to implement the UCC in the state and scrutinize laws on the personal matters of its citizens. This initiative was announced during the inaugural cabinet meeting following the formation of the BJP government in the state.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had announced that once the committee’s report is received, such a code would be in place. The committee received “substantial suggestions from all sides” that there should be equal laws for the number of children per family for all communities.

The committee, chaired by Justice Ranjana Desai, comprises retired Delhi High Court judge Pramod Kohli, social activist Manu Gaur, former chief secretary Shatrughan Singh, and Doon University vice-chancellor Surekha Dangwal.

Amid mounting tension surrounding the upcoming session, the state Congress launched an attack on the BJP government, labeling the UCC move an electoral gimmick. Karan Mahara, state chief of the Congress, told this paper that if the BJP is genuinely committed to the implementation, they should first secure its passage in the Lok Sabha.“Uttarakhand should not serve as a testing ground for this initiative,” he said. “The very term ‘Uniform Civil Code’ underscores its national significance, transcending the state boundaries,” Mahara said.

What’s the bill about?

  • Uttarakhand govt set up a panel on May 27, 2022, to implement the UCC in the state
  • The move came during the inaugural cabinet meeting following the formation of the BJP govt
  • Sources say the report related to the bill would include provisions for gender equality and equal rights for daughters in ancestral property
  • However, the proposed bill does not include a provision to increase the girls’ legal age of marriage from 18 to 21 years

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

DEHRADUN: As a part of its election manifesto, the state BJP government in Uttarakhand has signaled its intention to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) by convening a special session of the Assembly this month. Speaking to this newspaper, state’s finance minister Premchand Agrawal said the state government is poised to take a major step towards implementing the UCC this month. “The Uttarakhand government will hold two sessions of the assembly, including a special session in January, during which it will present the state reservation bill and the UCC bill.” Sources said the government plans to pass the UCC Bill in the assembly during a special session scheduled for the last week of January. This session is expected to be convened following the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Another session is slated for February, which will be dedicated to the budget.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); “The implementation of the UCC will entail the creation of laws that apply to all religions in the context of marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption,” said Agrawal. The primary objective of the Bill is to establish consistency in personal laws across different religious communities. Sources said the report related to the bill would include provisions for gender equality and equal rights for daughters in ancestral property. However, it does not include a provision to increase the legal age of marriage for girls from 18 to 21. With UCC’s implementation, Uttarakhand will become the first state in the country to have such a law. Earlier, UCC was applicable in Goa, but this Act has been in force there since before independence. The Uttarakhand government established an expert committee on May 27, 2022, to implement the UCC in the state and scrutinize laws on the personal matters of its citizens. This initiative was announced during the inaugural cabinet meeting following the formation of the BJP government in the state. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had announced that once the committee’s report is received, such a code would be in place. The committee received “substantial suggestions from all sides” that there should be equal laws for the number of children per family for all communities. The committee, chaired by Justice Ranjana Desai, comprises retired Delhi High Court judge Pramod Kohli, social activist Manu Gaur, former chief secretary Shatrughan Singh, and Doon University vice-chancellor Surekha Dangwal. Amid mounting tension surrounding the upcoming session, the state Congress launched an attack on the BJP government, labeling the UCC move an electoral gimmick. Karan Mahara, state chief of the Congress, told this paper that if the BJP is genuinely committed to the implementation, they should first secure its passage in the Lok Sabha.“Uttarakhand should not serve as a testing ground for this initiative,” he said. “The very term ‘Uniform Civil Code’ underscores its national significance, transcending the state boundaries,” Mahara said. What’s the bill about? Uttarakhand govt set up a panel on May 27, 2022, to implement the UCC in the state The move came during the inaugural cabinet meeting following the formation of the BJP govt Sources say the report related to the bill would include provisions for gender equality and equal rights for daughters in ancestral property However, the proposed bill does not include a provision to increase the girls’ legal age of marriage from 18 to 21 years Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp