U’khand Assembly clears Uniform Civil Code Bill
Uttarakhand will become first Indian state to implement UCC
The Uttarakhand Assembly on Wednesday passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, potentially paving the way for similar legislation in other BJP-governed states. The Bill, introduced just a day prior in the BJP-majority Assembly, was passed by a voice vote after the Opposition’s suggestion of referring it to a select committee was rejected.
Once approved by the governor, Uttarakhand will become the first state in post-independence India to implement a common law for marriage, divorce, land, property, and inheritance, applicable to all citizens regardless of their religion.
Speaking on the Bill before its passage, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said it is not an ordinary legislation.
The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will create equal laws for men and women across all faiths and will help create a non-partisan and non-discriminatory society, he said. It will especially protect the rights of women and put an end to their exploitation, Dhami said.
“It fulfils a commitment we had made to the people of the state in the run-up to the 2022 Assembly polls,” the chief minister said.
It is a small contribution from Uttarakhand to building of a developed India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dhami said.
