Uttarakhand Celebrates Historic UCC Day, Ushering in Equality Era

Dhami honoured committee members, administrative officers, and Village Level Consultants who contributed to the UCC's drafting and implementation at the Himalayan Cultural Centre, Garhi Cantt.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Dhami said, "This day would be recorded as a golden chapter in the history of Uttarakhand, as the Uniform Civil Code was implemented in the state on this very day, ensuring the establishment of social justice, equality, and constitutional values in society."

He said that Sanatan culture and traditions have always promoted harmony and equality. Quoting Lord Krishna's message from the Gita -- "Samo'ham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo'sti na priyah" (God is impartial, viewing all living beings equally without innate hatred or partiality).

He explained that it reflected equality towards all beings, without bias or discrimination. He said this greatness of Sanatan culture has guided the world towards equality, justice, and humanity for centuries.

During the programme, the Chief Minister also visited a photo exhibition based on the Uniform Civil Code. He emphasised that the UCC promotes harmony and equality, aligning with Sanatan culture and traditions. The code ensures equal rights for all citizens, empowering women and eliminating discriminatory practices like halala, iddat, polygamy, and triple talaq.

The Chief Minister said that Dr BR Ambedkar and other framers of the Constitution included the Uniform Civil Code under Article 44 in the Directive Principles of State Policy, believing that there should be one common law for all citizens of the country. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he had committed to implementing the UCC in Uttarakhand in the BJP's 2022 Assembly election manifesto.

He said the people of Devbhoomi wholeheartedly supported this "divine mission." After assuming office again, work on implementing the UCC began immediately. On February 7, 2024, the UCC Bill was passed by the State Assembly and sent to the President, who granted her assent on March 11, 2024. After completing all necessary rules and procedures, the state government formally implemented the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand on January 27, 2025.

Chief Minister Dhami said that due to separate personal laws for different communities, discrimination and injustice had long existed in society. With the implementation of the UCC, not only have all citizens received equal rights, but a new era of women's empowerment has also begun in the state.

"Muslim women in Uttarakhand have been freed from practices such as halala, iddat, polygamy, child marriage, and triple talaq. Since the implementation of the UCC, not a single case of halala or polygamy has been reported in the state," said Dhami.

He said this is why Muslim women have welcomed the law. He added that, due to vote-bank politics after Independence, successive governments lacked the courage to implement the UCC, even though it is already in force in developed countries and major Muslim nations worldwide.

The Chief Minister clarified that the Uniform Civil Code is not against any religion or sect, but is a legal effort to eliminate social evils and establish harmony through equality. He said no religion's core beliefs have been altered; only regressive practices have been removed. Under the UCC, rules on marriage, divorce, and inheritance have been made uniform across all religions.

"Clear laws have also been framed regarding property distribution and child rights. No discrimination has been made among children in matters of inheritance, and upon a person's death, equal rights to property are granted to the spouse, children, and parents to prevent family disputes," said Dhami.

Considering present-day challenges, the Chief Minister said that registration of live-in relationships has been made mandatory to ensure the safety of young couples. Information regarding such registration is shared with parents or guardians by the registrar, while maintaining complete confidentiality. "Children born to live-in relationships are granted the same legal rights as biological children," he added.

Calling it a matter of personal pride, Chief Minister Dhami said that the state government successfully implemented the Uniform Civil Code from announcement to ground-level execution.

"Over the past year, UCC has made government services simpler, accessible, and more transparent. Earlier, the state recorded an average of only 67 marriage registrations per day, which has now increased to over 1,400 registrations daily. More than 30 per cent of gram panchayats have achieved 100 per cent registration of married couples. In the past year, nearly 5 lakh applications were received under the UCC, with over 95 per cent disposed of. Through an online portal and more than 7,500 active Common Service Centres, government services have truly reached the people's doorsteps," he added.

The Chief Minister said that the state government recently passed a bill introducing necessary amendments to the UCC, which received the Governor's assent a day earlier. "The amendments include provisions to annul marriages conducted in violation of identity concealment or false information. Strict punitive measures have also been put in place for cases involving force, pressure, fraud, or unlawful acts in marriages and live-in relationships," he said.

Referring to Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, the Chief Minister said that since the formation of the Jana Sangh, the abrogation of Article 370 and the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code have been long-standing resolutions that have now been fulfilled.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, it has been proven that strong decisions unite the nation rather than divide it. He said some people are deliberately spreading misinformation about the UCC for political reasons, including false claims related to domicile status and live-in registration. He clarified that the UCC does not grant domicile status to anyone, and live-in registration is solely meant to protect the safety, dignity, and rights of women.

Drawing an analogy, the Chief Minister said that just as the River Ganga flows from Devbhoomi Uttarakhand to nourish the entire country, the stream of the Uniform Civil Code originating from Uttarakhand will inspire other states to move forward in this direction.

He added that some cases related to polygamy and divorce have recently come to light, and strict action will be taken with separate provisions. Referring to allegations by a US-based NGO accusing him of hate speech, the Chief Minister said that if speaking against religious conversion and encroachment on government land is termed hate speech, then he accepts it without hesitation.

Key UCC provisions include uniform marriage, divorce, and inheritance laws for all religions; mandatory live-in relationship registration for young couples' safety; equal property rights for spouses, children, and parents and strict action against polygamy and false marriage claims.

- ANI