Uttarakhand Cabinet approves UCC draft; Assam MLA extends gratitude for timely initiative

Guwahati, Feb 5: In a significant development, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami-led Uttarakhand Cabinet has given a green signal to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) draft during a special Cabinet meeting held in Dehradun.

A special session of the Uttarakhand Assembly has been convened specifically to pass the UCC legislation and transition it into law. The passage of the UCC, aimed at establishing consistency in civil laws, has garnered appreciation from political circles. Assam MLA Ramkrishna Ghosh from Hojai constituency expressed gratitude to the Uttarakhand government for its proactive stance on the bill, stating that such steps should have been taken earlier.

As per reports, the UCC bill is slated to be presented in the Uttarakhand Assembly on February 6, marking a crucial step towards creating a legal framework that ensures uniformity in marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance laws for all citizens within the state, irrespective of their religious affiliations.

Amongst the key recommendations of the bill are a comprehensive ban on polygamy and child marriage, establishment of a common marriageable age for girls across all faiths and the enforcement of uniform grounds and procedures for divorce. These measures aim to foster equality and standardisation in civil matters, promoting a more inclusive legal landscape, said reports.

Significantly, the move in Uttarakhand aligns with broader efforts towards legal reforms, and it comes in conjunction with the announcement from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma about the state’s intention to introduce a bill prohibiting polygamy in the ongoing budget session. Sarma highlighted that the draft of the bill is currently under scrutiny by the law department and he was looking forward to the legislation on the UCC, which will be considered during a special four-day session of the Uttarakhand assembly.