Gujarat receives presidential assent to enact Uniform Civil Code

Gujarat has received assent from President Droupadi Murmu for its Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill. With this approval, Gujarat becomes the second state in India, after Uttarakhand, to enact a Uniform Civil Code.

A Uniform Civil Code refers to a single, common set of civil laws governing personal matters for all citizens, regardless of their religion. The code covers key personal areas including marriage, divorce, and inheritance.

Under the newly approved code, both polygamy and bigamy are banned in Gujarat, and registering marriages will become compulsory. Additionally, the law regulates succession and introduces specific regulations for live-in relationships.

Couples in live-in relationships will be required to register their relationship. Furthermore, partners must formally notify the authorities when their live-in relationship comes to an end.

While President Murmu has officially given assent to the UCC Bill, the law is not yet in active force. The state government of Gujarat must first formally notify the rules before the legislation officially comes into effect.