President Murmu approves Uttarakhand's UCC Bill

DEHRADUN: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday approved Uttarakhand's Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2024, the state government confirmed thriough a statement.

With the approval of the President, Uttarakhand is all set to become the first state in the country to implement the UCC.

Uttarakhand Governor Gurmit Singh earlier on February 29 referred the Bill sent by the state government to President Murmu for her approval.

The Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami government introduced the UCC Bill on February 6, emphasising its importance.

On February 7, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the passage of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in the Legislative Assembly marked a "historic day in the history of Uttarakhand.

The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill was passed with a comfortable majority during a special session of the Uttarakhand assembly on February 7. The Uniform Civil Code, which proposes similar or uniform laws for all communities, was tabled during the special session by the Chief Minister.

The UCC Bill is a proposal in India to establish uniform rules for personal matters for all citizens. These matters include marriage, divorce, inheritance, and property rights. The UCC would apply to all citizens equally, regardless of their religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

The UCC is part of the Constitution's non-justiciable directive principles of state policy. Some members of the Constituent Assembly strongly advocated for its binding implementation, while others raised concerns about the potential infringement on religious freedom and cultural diversity.