‘Mandatory registration for live-in couples’: Uttarakhand to implement Uniform Civil
‘Mandatory registration for live-in couples’: Uttarakhand to implement Uniform Civil Code on R-Day
M.U.H
14/01/202522
Uttarakhand is set to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) by January 26, which will require mandatory registration for all live-in couples and compulsory video recordings of witnesses in testamentary succession cases, Indian Express has reported.
The state government has already started training its officials to familiarize them with the new UCC portal, which will serve as the primary platform for registration and complaints related to various civil matters.
The UCC portal will require Aadhaar details for registration and has been designed for three stakeholders: citizens, service center staff and government officials, the report said.
The portal offers a range of services, including the registration of marriages, divorces, live-in relationships, termination of live-in arrangements, testamentary succession and the declaration of legal heirs.
A sub-registrar will also be assigned to verify the complaints to avoid disinformation.
For testamentary succession, a key aspect of the UCC, the declarant and the heirs are required to submit their Aadhaar details. Witnesses must upload video recordings of themselves reading the succession declaration. These provisions aim to make the succession process transparent and reduce the potential for disputes. Legal heirs must be clearly declared, and any objections or appeals can be addressed through the portal.
In support of these changes, the state government has established three assistance centers to offer technical and legal aid. The Information Technology Development Agency will provide technical support, the Common Service Centre will assist with training, and the Prosecution Department will offer legal aid.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reiterated that the UCC is intended to promote equality and justice within society, ensuring that all citizens are governed by a uniform set of laws, irrespective of religion, caste, or community. He also noted that the state is preparing to introduce a robust land law in the near future, aimed at benefiting citizens.
As the state prepares for the full implementation of the UCC by the end of January, the government is confident that these changes will create a more streamlined and equitable legal framework for all residents.
