Uttarakhand makes history as become the first state in post-independence India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), a landmark move aimed to make uniform laws across all the religions. As of Today 27 January 2025, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami has officially launched the UCC portal and issued a notification regarding the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Finally the state has adopted the uniform civil code after months of preparation, including employee training, mock drills, and dry-run sessions.
The main objective of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), to ensure equal rights and responsibilities for all citizens, in a matter of marriage, divorce, inheritance, and live-in relationships, regardless of their religious affiliations. The UCC law excludes Scheduled Tribes and certain protected communities but introduces a uniform set of guidelines for the rest of the population. Key provisions include a uniform marriageable age of 18 for women and 21 for men, a ban on polygamy and the practice of ‘halala,’ and standardized grounds for divorce.
Digitally Aadhaar-based verification
The Government of Uttarakhand has also launch the https://ucc.uk.gov.in/ website for verification of the citizens of Uttarakhand regarding Uniform Civil code (UCC). This is a a cloud-based portal where the verification of the citizens will be done through aadhar authentication. The portal is also based on AI-powered translation, which can translate the information in 22 Indian languages, and integration with over 13 government departments, including birth-death registrations and court systems. The portal also facilitates the registration of live-in relationships, wills, and testamentary succession documents.
For citizens, who lived in remote and mountainous areas having the limited internet access, can take the service of Common Service Centres (CSCs) for UCC related information. The Government has authorised Common Service Centres (CSCs) to provide door-to-door assistance. Additionally, Village Panchayat Development Officers have been appointed as sub-registrars to ensure rural residents can easily access UCC-related services.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi called it pilot project
After the implementation of the UCC in uttarakhand. It made a spark between political parties. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hailed it as a historic step toward national integration and gender equality, while the opposition parties have raised concerns.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi criticized the move, calling it a “pilot project” launched without consensus.
Can a uniform civil code be state-specific. You talk of the ‘uniform’ civil code and then make it state-specific
This is nothing but an attempt to fast-track the process, to have a pilot project, before you can impose… because you don’t have a consensus. So you do it like kickstarting a pilot project
The bjp leader and CM of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami, has praised the UCC law, He said this is a step toward fulfilling the vision of the Constitution’s framers, as outlined in Article 44, which advocates for a uniform civil code across India.
BJP Uttarakhand’s Promise to Implement UCC
The BJP has promised to the people of Uttarakhand during the 2022 Uttarakhand Assembly elections to implement of Uniform Civil code (UCC). The bjp wins the 2022 uttarakhand election and the party secured a historic second consecutive term. After assuming office, CM Dhami BJP Uttarakhand’s Promise to Implement UCC. a five-member expert committee led by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to draft the code. The committee received feedback from over 2.3 lakh people, representing nearly 10% of Uttarakhand’s families, before submitting a 740-page draft in February 2024.
The draft was approved by the state cabinet on February 4, tabled in the Assembly on February 6, and passed the following day. After receiving approval from Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd) on February 28 and President Droupadi Murmu on March 11, the UCC Act was officially notified on March 12, 2024.
A model for Bjp led States
The implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in uttarakhand is seen as a model for other bjp led States. Many BJP-ruled states, including Assam, expressing interest in adopting a similar framework. CM Dhami described the UCC as an “offering” in the “great yagya” led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to build a “developed, organized, harmonious, and self-reliant nation.”
As Uttarakhand stands at the forefront of this legal revolution, the coming months will reveal how the UCC is received both within the state and across the country. The success of its implementation will depend on its ability to balance individual rights with social harmony, setting a potential precedent for nationwide adoption.
With the UCC now in effect, Uttarakhand has not only made history but also ignited a broader conversation about the future of personal law reform in India.
