Uttarakhand Moves Closer Towards UCC Law, Governor Sends Bill to President Murmu for Final Nod

The Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code Bill is set to become a law in the coming days as the bill was sent by Raj Bhavan to the President’s office for approval on Thursday.

Following President Droupadi Murmu’s approval, the implementation of the UCC law will make its way in Uttarakhand. According to the news agency ANI, the Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government sent the bill to the Uttarakhand Governor Gurmit Singh, who in turn referred the same to President Murmu for her approval.

Notably, the bill was introduced by the state government on February 6 and now with the nod from the Raj Bhavan, the legislative channel has paved the way for the bill to be presented to the President for final approval.

Earlier, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the Uniform Civil Code Bill has been implemented in the state after taking into account several factors. He added that the bill has the support, vote and blessings of the people of Uttarakhand.

A day after the introduction of the bill in the state Assembly, the Chief Minister termed the passage of the UCC Bill a “historic day in the history of Uttarakhand”.

The Uniform Civil Code Bill was passed with a comfortable majority during a special session of the Uttarakhand Assembly on February 7.

What is Uniform Civil Code?

The Uniform Civil Code proposes similar or uniform laws for all communities residing in the state. The UCC Bill is a proposal to establish uniform rules for personal matters for all citizens including matters related to marriage, divorce, inheritance and property rights.

The UCC would apply to all citizens equally, regardless of their religion, gender, or sexual orientation. The UCC is part of the Constitution’s non-justiciable directive principles of state policy. Some members of the Constituent Assembly strongly advocated for its binding implementation, while others raised concerns about the potential infringement on religious freedom and cultural diversity.

Notably, Uttarakhand was the first state in independent India to pass legislation on Uniform Civil Code.

(With agency inputs)