Gujarat is set to introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC)—becoming the second state after Uttarakhand to do so. The Bill is expected to come up for discussion in the Assembly on 24 March, Tuesday. The proposed legislation mandates the compulsory registration of marriages and divorces for all couples, and imposes a penalty for non-compliance.
While it allows marriages to be solemnised according to religious customs, it forbids polygamy, prescribing up to seven years in jail for violations. Nikah halala will also be abolished for good under the new rules. Any divorce not ratified by a court decree will result in a sentence of up to three years’ imprisonment.
Commendably, the UCC also simplifies adoption rules. Currently, non-Hindus cannot adopt under the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act. Christians and Muslims must use the more cumbersome Guardians and Wards Act, which does not grant full parental rights. A UCC would create a single, secular adoption framework.
The UCC Bill also mandates that children born of live-in relationships will be recognised as legitimate—and women will have the right to claim maintenance if abandoned by their partners.
This story was originally published in thequint.com. Read the full story here.
