Uttarakhand Sets Milestone: First Marriage Registered Under Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Portal

Uttarakhand made history on Monday by becoming the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), designed to standardize and simplify laws concerning marriage and divorce. The landmark move aims to bring uniformity to personal civil matters across communities.

The First UCC Marriage Registration

Anjali Verma, a 26-year-old employee at the Information Technology Development Agency (ITDA), was among the first to register her marriage under the UCC framework. Sharing her experience with The Indian Express, Verma explained, "I entered my permanent address, birth certificate, Aadhaar card, PAN card, domicile certificate, and my husband's details. Then, I uploaded a live video featuring two witnesses, either parents or local guardians, testifying to the marriage," as reported by Times Now.

Verma utilized the Tatkal service, paying just ₹250 for expedited processing. By Monday morning, she received a notification confirming her registration approval. "Earlier, for something like getting a passport, I would have had to go to court and hire an advocate, which is time-consuming and expensive. Under UCC, the process is much simpler," she noted.

Simplifying Existing Registrations

Another resident, Niketa Negi Rawat, also successfully updated her marriage record via the UCC portal. Having initially registered her marriage in 2017 under the Uttarakhand Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, she highlighted the ease of the new process. "I uploaded the necessary documents yesterday, and my approval came through this morning," she said.

The new UCC system requires all individuals with prior marriage registrations under other acts to upload their details on the portal for acknowledgment under the Uniform Civil Code, as reported by Times Now.

CM Pushkar Singh Dhami's Vision for UCC

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emphasized that the UCC is a constitutional step toward equality and empowerment, particularly for women. Addressing concerns, he clarified, "The UCC is not against any religion or sect. It aims to eradicate discriminatory practices such as polygamy, halala, triple talaq, and child marriage," as reported by PTI.

CM Dhami further explained that Scheduled Tribes, as outlined under Article 342 of the Constitution, have been excluded from UCC to protect their unique rights.

A Historic Day for Uttarakhand

Declaring January 27 as "Uniform Civil Code Day," Dhami remarked, "Today marks a historic moment, not just for Uttarakhand but for the entire nation." The UCC's implementation in Uttarakhand is expected to set a precedent for other states in India.

By introducing this groundbreaking measure, Uttarakhand has taken a significant step toward ensuring equality and justice in personal civil matters, creating a framework that prioritizes simplicity, efficiency, and empowerment, as per media reports.