By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 27 Jan: The following are the provisions of the Uniform Civil Code that has been unveiled on Monday.
Scope: The UCC will apply to the entire state of Uttarakhand except for Scheduled Tribes, and also to residents of Uttarakhand living outside the state.
Authority
Rural Areas: The SDM Registrar and Gram Panchayat Development Officer will act as the Sub Registrar.
Nagar Panchayat: Municipalities: The concerned SDM will serve as the Registrar and the Executive Officer will act as the Sub Registrar.
Municipal Corporation Area: The Municipal Commissioner will be the Registrar, and the Tax Inspector will be the Sub Registrar.
Cantonment Area: The concerned CEO will be the Registrar, and the Resident Medical Officer or an officer authorized by the CEO will be the Sub Registrar.
Registrar General: Above all these officials will be the Registrar General, a secretary-level officer and Inspector General of Registration.
Duties of the Registrar General
If the Registrar is unable to act within the stipulated time, the matter will be auto-forwarded to the Registrar General. An appeal can be made to the Registrar General against the order of the Registrar or Sub Registrar. The Registrar General will dispose of the appeal within 60 days and issue an order.
Duties of the Registrar
To Decide on appeals against the order of the Sub Registrar within 60 days and to inform the police about violations of live-in rules or marriage laws.
Duties of the Sub Registrar
To Examine all documents and information within 15 days generally, and within three days in case of emergency; to take decisions after seeking clarification from the applicant; to inform the police and impose a penalty for late application submission or rule violations; to inform parents or guardians if marriage information is not verified.
Marriage Registration
Marriages solemnised on or after 26 March 2010 and the UCC implementation date must be registered within the next six months. Marriages solemnised after the UCC implementation must be registered within 60 days from the marriage date.
Rights of Applicants
If the Sub Registrar-Registrar does not act on time, a complaint can be filed online; Appeals against the Sub Registrar’s rejection order can be made to the Registrar within 30 days; Appeals against the Registrar’s rejection order can be made to the Registrar General within 30 days. Appeals can be filed through an online portal or app.
Live-In Relationships:
Live-in relationships established before the UCC implementation must be registered within one month of the implementation date. Live-in relationships established after the UCC implementation must be registered within one month from the relationship’s start date.
Termination: One or both partners can end the live-in relationship online or offline. If only one partner applies, the registrar will accept it based on confirmation from the other. If pregnancy occurs, it is mandatory to inform the registrar and update within 30 days of the child’s birth.
Divorce:
Applications for divorce or marriage annulment must include details of marriage registration, decree of divorce or annulment, court case number, date of final order, details of children, and a copy of the final court order.
Will-Based Succession:
Wills can be made in three ways: by filling the form on the portal, by uploading a handwritten or typed will, or by uploading a will via a three-minute video.
Journey of UCC:
27 May 2022: Expert Committee on UCC constituted;
02 February 2024: Detailed report on UCC submitted;
08 February 2024: Act approved by State Assembly;
08 March 2024: Act approved by President of India;
12 March 2024: UCC Uttarakhand Act 2024 issued;
18 October 2024: UCC Rules presented;
27 January 2025: UCC implemented.
Action Plan for UCC Implementation:
Portal (ucc.uk.gov.in) developed for online applications; Common Service Centre (CSC) designated as Training Partner; Nodal officers designated in districts for implementation and training; Helpdesk (1800-180-2525) established for assistance and technical consultation; District-level officer appointed to resolve legal queries and Short videos and booklets for citizen awareness and officer convenience.
