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Context

• Uttarakhand Chief Minister tabled the state’s proposed Uniform Civil Code Bill in the Legislative Assembly.

Provisions under Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code Bill

Exclusion of Tribal Communities from UCC Bill

• Complexity of Personal Laws: In India, personal laws are intricate, with each religion adhering to its distinct regulations governing marriage, inheritance, and divorce.
• Objective of UCC: The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) aims to establish uniform laws applicable to all Indian communities concerning personal matters like marriage and inheritance.
• Exemption for Tribal Communities: However, the UCC Bill exempts tribal communities from its provisions. As per the Bill, Scheduled Tribes and individuals with protected customary rights under Part XXI of the Constitution are excluded.
• Criticism Over Tribal Customary Practices: This exemption acknowledges the unique customs of tribal communities, addressing concerns raised regarding the imposition of uniform laws on culturally diverse groups.

Regulation of Live-In Relationships

• Mandatory Declaration: The UCC Bill mandates partners in live-in relationships within Uttarakhand to submit a statement to the Registrar, irrespective of their residency status.
• Submission Procedure: Partners cohabitating must submit a "statement of live-in relationship" to the Registrar, who then conducts a summary inquiry to ascertain the relationship's legality.
• Penalty for Non-Compliance: Couples failing to submit the statement within a month face penalties, including imprisonment for up to three months or a fine of Rs 10,000, or both.
• Termination Notification: Furthermore, termination of the relationship requires informing the registrar by submitting a "statement of termination of relationship".

Prohibition of Bigamy

• Marriage Conditions: Section 4 of the Bill outlines five conditions for marriage, prohibiting bigamy by stipulating that neither party should have a living spouse at the time of marriage.

Marriage Age and Custom Exceptions

• Minimum Marriage Age: The Bill maintains the minimum marriageable age at 21 for men and 18 for women, as per the third condition under Section 4.
• Customary Exception: Under the fourth condition, the Bill retains the provision allowing marriage within "degrees of prohibited relationships" based on established customs, primarily in Hindu communities.

READ ABOUT UNIFORM CIVIL CODE: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/uniform-civil-code-15#:~:text=The%20origin%20of%20the%20Uniform,of%20Hindus%20and%20Muslims%20be 

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