Uttarakhand Clears Uniform Civil Code Rules

Uttarakhand is set to become the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), as the state government has approved the UCC rules manual. The state’s Cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, cleared the manual and decided on key provisions related to registration services, the facilitation of live-in relationships, and the introduction of Tatkal services. The government is also implementing advanced digital platforms to ensure efficient and widespread access to these services. Training of officials is underway, with a statewide mock drill planned to prepare the stakeholders for smooth implementation.

Key Provisions of UCC’s Rules

• Scope of UCC: It aims to unify laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and maintenance across all faiths and communities in the state.
• Online Portal and App: A dedicated portal and mobile application have been developed to facilitate online registrations and services, ensuring greater public access and ease of use.

Key Services for Registration

• Marriage Registration: Registration of marriages and acknowledgment of registered marriages.
• Divorce Registration: Processes for the registration of divorces and nullifying marriages.
• Live-in Relationships: Registration of live-in relationships and their termination.
• Inheritance: Registration of intestate succession (legal heirs) and testamentary succession (wills).
• Appeals: Procedure for appealing decisions regarding applications.
• Grievances: A mechanism to file and track complaints.
• Access to Information: Access to data and information related to registered services.

Equality Provisions

• Women’s Rights: Equal inheritance rights, rights to adoption, divorce, and polygamy bans.
• Registration Requirements: Compulsory registration/self-declaration for live-in relationships and marriages.
• Legal Age for Marriage: A standard marriageable age of 18 for women and 21 for men.

Digital and Physical Access

• CSC (Common Service Centres): To assist in registration for those who are not digitally literate, especially in remote areas.
• Helpline and Support: A dedicated helpline and district-level officers for legal queries and portal-related issues.

Training and Implementation

• Officials’ Training: Extensive training is being conducted for officials to familiarize them with the portal and procedures.
• Mock Drill: A state-wide mock drill for system readiness is scheduled for January 21, 2025.
• Implementation Timeline: The government will announce the date for UCC’s implementation soon after the training is completed.
• Training and Development: Uttarakhand is conducting extensive training programs for officials, with 10,000 village development officers (VDOs) expected to be trained by January 24, 2025.

Key Objetives

• Inclusivity: The primary goal is to ensure all citizens have equal access to legal services, regardless of their location or socio-economic background.
• Ease of Access: By leveraging digital platforms and ensuring offline services in remote areas, Uttarakhand aims to provide easy access to legal processes such as marriage and succession registration.
• Fostering Transparency: The digital integration of services will create transparency and help minimize bureaucracy, making the legal processes more streamlined and accessible.

Summary/Static	Details
Why in the news?	Uttarakhand Clears Uniform Civil Code Rules
Purpose of UCC	Purpose of UCC To unify laws on marriage, divorce, inheritance, maintenance, and live-in relationships across all communities in Uttarakhand.
Key Features	– Online portal and app for easy access – CSCs for those not digitally literate – Legal rights to women in inheritance, adoption, and divorce
Registration Services	– Marriage registration and acknowledgment – Divorce registration – Live-in relationship registration and termination – Inheritance (intestate and testamentary succession) – Appeals, complaints, and access to data
Equality Provisions	– Equal inheritance and adoption rights for women – Ban on polygamy
Age Requirements	– Legal age for marriage: 18 for women, 21 for men
Digital and Physical Services	– Digital access through the portal and app – Physical access via CSCs for those without internet access
Training & Mock Drill	– Official training almost complete – State-wide mock drill on January 21, 2025
Implementation Timeline	– Date of UCC implementation to be announced after training is complete
Training of Officials	– Targeting 10,000 VDOs by January 24, 2025.