Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday became the first person in the state to register his marriage in the UCC app as he formally announced implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in the state.

He dedicated Uttarakhand UCC to the Constitution of India and Baba Saheb Ambedkar as the state became the first state in the country to implement UCC.

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Dhami declared the day as historic for the state and the nation at a function at his official residence in Dehradun. The occasion was also marked by formal unveiling of UCC notification and inauguration of UCC portal ucc.uk.gov.in along with release of UCC manual by Dhami.

“UCC has been introduced to establish equality in society, making Uttarakhand the first state in India to implement this reform. implementation of UCC has ensured equal constitutional and civil rights for all citizens, including women of all religions in the state” said Dhami.

He equated UCC with epochal decisions like scrapping Article 370, triple talaq and the construction of Ram Temple under PM Narendra Modi’s leadership and said implementation of Uttarakhand UCC marks another milestone in creating another socio-legal regime in the country.

Uttarakhand CM stated that the experts panel drafted UCC after consultations and interactions with more than 2.35 lakh people from different sections of the society. He added “Implementation of UCC is a tribute to the Constitution’s architect, Dr B R Ambedkar and the then members of the Constituent Assembly.”

Dhami announced that Uttarakhand will observe January 27 as UCC day every year.

On this occasion, Dhami became the first person in the state to register his marriage with the newly launched UCC portal. State Chief Secretary Radha Raturi handed out the first UCC marriage registration certificate to the Chief Minister while latter handed out certificates to five other applicants who registered under the UCC act.

Dhami claimed he promised to bring in UCC during the Uttarakhand Assembly elections 2022 and fulfilled it despite immense skepticism and doubts from different circles. He said he was confident of the support from the people.

The Chief Minister stressed that UCC will be a constitutional means to eradicate social and legal discrimination based on caste, religion and gender.

“It ensures equal rights for all citizens, promotes women safety and empowerment and bans ill practices like halala, triple talaq and iddat. Scheduled Tribes listed under Article 342 of the Constitution of India have been exempted to protect their customs. No registration fees will be charged for marriages, divorces or annulments registered under the UCC for the first six months,” he said.

Dhami further clarified that UCC is not against any religion or sect. It allows people to follow their religious customs and traditions ensuring uniform rules for marriage, divorce, and inheritance in the state. The legal marriage age for every citizen of the state will now be 21 for men and 18 for women while polygamy will not be permitted under the law. The UCC also guarantees equal property rights for daughters and safeguards children’s rights.

Acknowledging modern requirements, the CM announced that registration for live-in relationships is now mandatory, with registrars required to inform parents or guardians confidentially. Children born out of live-in relationships will also have equal rights. The UCC has introduced a simplified online registration system to ensure convenience for citizens.