Uttarakhand became the first state in the country to implement the Uniform Civil Code on Monday, with which the ruling BJP fulfilled a major commitment made before the 2022 assembly elections.
UCC came into force with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami issuing its notification, issuing rules for its implementation and launching a portal created for compulsory online registration of marriage, divorce and live-in relationship.
The event took place in the presence of his cabinet colleagues and several senior officials in the auditorium of Dhami’s official residence “Main Sevak Sadan”.
Dhami said at the ceremony, “The Uniform Civil Code, which makes equal laws for every citizen of all religions, is fully implemented at this time. The credit goes to the people of the state completely.”
He said that it is a means of ending all discriminatory practices towards women, irrespective of any religion.
This is a historical moment, because Uttarakhand is the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code in independent India, which is basically the same set of laws that are implemented on all citizens contained in Article 44 of the Constitution, whether their religion is anything. Is based on
It is also fulfilling a major election promise made by Dhami to the people of the state during the 2022 assembly elections, in which the BJP will maintain power for the second consecutive time, which has been made by any other party since the formation of the state in 2000. Not achieved is achieved.
On many occasions, Dhami has credited the historical mandate to the party’s commitment in which he had spoken of bringing the Uniform Civil Code when he came to power for the second consecutive time.
As soon as Dhami formed the government again in March 2022, the State Cabinet headed by the State Cabinet in its first meeting approved the proposal to form an expert committee to prepare it. On May 27, 2022, an expert committee was formed under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai to prepare the UCC draft.
The panel headed by Desai handed over a comprehensive draft of UCC to the state government on February 2, 2024 after a long talks with people of different classes. A few days later, on 7 February, a bill was passed by the State Legislative Assembly. About a month later it was approved by the President, paving the way for its implementation.
Expert Committee headed by former Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh, which was also part of the draft prepared draft committee for the implementation of the Act, submitted its report to the state government at the end of the previous year.
The state cabinet recently approved the report and authorized the Chief Minister to fix the date of its implementation.
