Register Live-in Relationship Or Face 6-Month Jail: Uttarakhand UCC (image-pixabay)
With the implementation of the Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code (UCC), all individuals who opt to have a live-in relationship should register themselves with district officials. Parental consent is required for those below 21 years of age.
Those who do not adhere to the law will a face jail sentence of up to 6 months and a fine of Rs 25,000 or both. According to the proposed bill, any resident of Uttarakhand who stayed in a live-in relationship for more than one month without submitting the statement could be punished and sent to jail for up to three months or fined Rs 10,000 or both.
And live-in relationships will not be registered in cases that are “against public policy and morality”, if one partner is married or in another relationship, if the partner is minor, and if the consent of one partner was obtained by “coercion, fraud, or misrepresentation”.
If the Registrar refuses to register, he/ she must then inform the reason in writing. The statement of the live-in partners will be sent to the local police station. The authorities will inform the police if any of the statements provided by the couple turn out to be incorrect.
As per the Uttarakhand UCC, a woman who has been deserted in a live-in relationship can approach the court and is entitled to claim maintenance. A child born in a live-in relationship will also be considered a legitimate child of the couple.
If the couple intends to end the relationship, they will have to submit a “written statement” in a prescribed format. The Registrar could ask for a police investigation if he/she feels the reasons stated by the couple are “incorrect” or “suspicious”. If they are under the age of 21, parents shall also be informed. Failing to submit the statement or provide false information, one could land in jail for three months, a fine of 25,000, or both.
The BJP leader Pushkar Singh Dhami-led Uttarakhand government tabled the Uniform Civil Code Bill on Tuesday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh presented the bill in the House. The bill was tabled days after it was approved by the state cabinet. If the bill gets passed in the assembly, then Uttarakhand will become the first Indian state to adopt the Uniform Civil Code.
