The Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, paving the way for a common civil law on matters related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, succession and live-in relationships. The Bill was passed through a voice vote during the Monsoon Session amid protests by Congress MLAs, who demanded that it be referred to a select committee for further scrutiny.
With the passage of the legislation, Madhya Pradesh has become the fourth BJP-ruled state, after Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam, to approve a Uniform Civil Code.
The Bill will now be sent for the Governor’s approval before it comes into force.
What the MP Uniform Civil Code Bill Provides
The new law makes monogamy compulsory and bans polygamy across all religious communities. It also declares practices such as nikah halala illegal and punishable.
The Bill makes it mandatory for couples in live-in relationships to register their relationship with the local registrar within one month. Failure to register can attract imprisonment of up to three months or a fine of ₹10,000. Submitting false information or ignoring notices issued by the registrar can also lead to imprisonment and financial penalties.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com. Read the full story here.
