Uniform Civil Code Bill To Be Tabled Today In Uttarakhand Assembly (image-twitter/pushkardhami)
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. He arrived at the assembly holding an original copy of the Indian constitution. The bill will be passed after debating in the state assembly.
The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is scheduled to be tabled in the Uttarakhand assembly today, 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.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Monday that the proposed UCC will not only be “for the good of all sections” but also align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sab ka Saath, Sab ka Vikas’ and ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.
A government-appointed panel, led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, drafted a four-volume, 749-page report of containing several recommendations. The draft was submitted after collecting 2.33 lakh pieces of written feedback online and by organizing more than 70 public forums, reports NDTV.
Among the many proposals drafted include a complete ban on polygamy and child marriage, a standardized marriageable age for girls across all faiths, and a uniform process for divorce. These suggestions were made in an attempt to bring in gender equality and social cohesion in the society. The special four-day assembly session which began on Monday will continue till Thursday.
The draft includes recommendations extending to inheritance rights, mandatory marriage registration, and an increased marriageable age for girls to prioritize education. Additionally, the couples who are not registered will not be eligible for any kind of government facilities.
While the complete specifics of the draft will remain undisclosed to the public. As per the report, if enacted, the legal framework will encompass of marriage, divorce, land, property, and inheritance laws, irrespective of the religious affiliations. Goa is the only state as of now that has adopted the UCC law as it was implemented during the rule under Portuguese.
The proposed UCC laws also make the adoption process easier. It strikes down the practice of Iddat, an Islamic practice women must go through before remarrying after divorce or the demise of their husband. The draft simplifies adoption procedures and promotes live-in relationships.
The draft also facilitates equal property rights for both daughter and son, elimination of the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, and equal treatment to biologically born and adopted children. As per the reformed property law, property rights will be shared equally among the spouse, children, and parents.
The Uniform Civil Code is one of the key promises of the chief minister during the 2022 assembly election.
