Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami formally launched the portal and rules relating to the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) at a ceremony at Dehradun on Monday; the state stands as the country's first.
Dhami said that with this, he had made one of the first major decisions post becoming the CM, which happened exactly two weeks ago.
"Today, we are implementing the UCC in 'Devbhoomi' Uttarakhand. The credit for this goes to the people, who blessed us and formed our government," he added.
"By implementing the UCC, we pay true tribute to Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar and the members of the Constituent Assembly. The constitutional and civil rights of all citizens of Uttarakhand are now equal, and women of all religions have been granted equal rights," Dhami further said.
The UCC will be applicable not only throughout the state but also to Uttarakhand residents living outside it.
The approved rules concern the uniformity of the legal framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance, and property rights, equalizing the opportunities irrespective of the religion.
Sons and daughters shall have equal rights in inheritance; polygamy shall be barred, and monogamy will be the only legal norm of marriage.
Registration of marriages is to be done compulsorily, even though solemnized in accordance with the religious customs. Minimum age for marrying shall be 21 years in case of a male and 18 years for a female.
It abolishes the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, ensuring equal rights for all children, whether adopted, born through surrogacy, or conceived via assisted reproductive technology.
On the division of property after death, equal rights will be conferred upon the spouse, children, and the parents of the deceased person.
UCC Rules were framed based on recommendations by Shatrughan Singh Committee.
The draft paper, initially set at 400 pages, has been re-framed and short-listed on a more specific plan for reformulation while keeping some controversial personal law issues off its table.
The state minister has thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in regard to helping implement UCC.
With Uttarakhand doing this, this debate over its far-reaching implication has spread in the country across India.
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