Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami tables UCC bill in state assembly

The ongoing session of the state assembly was convened especially for the passage of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill.

The Uniform Civil Code bill -- which proposes uniform marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance laws for all citizens irrespective of their religion in Uttarakhand -- was tabled in the state assembly on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami presented the bill in the House.

The UCC Bill aims to establish uniformity in personal laws relating to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and other family matters across all religions. 

Notably, the bill includes provisions to ban practices such as polygamy and to set a uniform age of marriage for all citizens, irrespective of their community.

Also Read: Exemption of any community cannot be called a uniform code: All India Muslim Personal Law Board

Chief Minister Dhami presented the bill during a special four-day session of the Assembly. 

In a symbolic gesture underscoring his commitment to the Constitution, he arrived at the House carrying a copy of the document. The tabling of the bill came after a five-member expert committee, led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, submitted its report on the UCC to the state government just days prior.

The introduction of the UCC Bill in Uttarakhand is seen as a model for other states, with reports suggesting that similar bills may soon be considered in the Gujarat and Assam assemblies.

This legislative initiative by CM Dhami and the Uttarakhand government has sparked a mix of reactions, with some political figures emphasizing the importance of the bill for national interest, while others criticize it as a means of vote polarization. 

The tabling of the UCC Bill by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami represents a landmark step towards the BJP's vision of uniform civil laws in India, starting with the state of Uttarakhand.