Dehradun, Jan 27 (NationPress) It has been a year since the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was enacted in Uttarakhand. On this notable occasion, Manu Gaur, a member of the drafting committee for the UCC, stated that the achievement is largely due to the dedication of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who spearheaded the initiative to make Uttarakhand the first state in India to adopt the UCC.

In a conversation with IANS, Manu Gaur expressed pride in being part of the committee that crafted the UCC. “I feel honored to have contributed to this monumental endeavor,” he remarked.

He noted that the UCC took three years to finalize, primarily aimed at granting the remaining 50% of women in Uttarakhand equal rights in marriage and property matters. The UCC came into force on January 27, 2025, and Gaur expressed delight that over 400,000 marriages have been registered on the UCC portal, alongside 8,000 marriages that took place prior to its implementation. This indicates the UCC's growing acceptance, as many previously registered marriages were under different acts. Additionally, more than 4,000 wills have also been documented, a statistic that was previously unavailable.

Regarding criticisms that the UCC focuses mainly on marriage issues, he cited that last year saw the registration of 11 cases related to polygamy and 54 cases involving triple talaq, addressing the exploitation faced by women under such practices. These details were not accessible before the UCC.

Manu Gaur also discussed the subject of live-in relationships. He clarified that some narratives incorrectly portray the UCC as being anti-religious. The UCC committee and the government aim to safeguard the rights of children born from live-in relationships. A total of 162 applications for registering live-in relationships were received on the UCC portal, with 70 approvals granted, while the remainder were rejected for not meeting legal requirements. This registration process is essential for transparency and for preventing potential future crimes.

On the topic of UCC amendments, he mentioned that, similar to the Indian Constitution, the UCC may require changes over time to enhance its implementation. Laws concerning marriage did not originally account for live-in relationships, and Uttarakhand stands as the first state globally to legislate for such relationships. If further modifications are necessary, they will be introduced accordingly.

When asked about the volume of live-in relationship cases, Gaur stated that no official public data exists, hence he could not provide specific numbers, emphasizing that privacy concerns prevent officials from disclosing such information.

He also underscored the importance of privacy in marriages. “Marriage is a personal affair regarding who, when, and where I wed. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court of India has mandated that all state governments create laws for marriage registration. Under the UCC, marriages are being documented, ensuring comprehensive details are recorded. Therefore, marriage registration ties into the right to privacy, while the live-in relationship law provides crucial protections for women,” he concluded.