Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 12 Jan: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand has become the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Since the enactment of this law, public awareness about marriage registration has significantly increased. Looking at the figures, the daily average number of people registering their marriages has risen 24 times compared to the previous act.
During the 2022 Assembly elections, Chief Minister Dhami had promised to implement the UCC in Uttarakhand. After coming to power, he fulfilled this promise by deciding to implement the UCC in the very first Cabinet meeting. After completing all formalities and conducting a broad public consultation, the UCC came into effect in the state from 27 January 2025.
This historic decision by the Chief Minister is a step toward social justice, gender equality, and equal rights. The law is in accordance with the spirit of Article 44 of the Indian Constitution. Its aim is to provide equal rights and respect to all citizens, especially women. The UCC covers provisions related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, live-in relationships, and other associated matters. Under this law, the marriageable age is fixed for both men and women, and uniform and stricter provisions have been introduced for divorce and related procedures across all religions. The UCC has also helped protect women from practices like polygamy.
Following the implementation of the UCC, marriage registrations in the state have increased remarkably. According to data, in the six months from 27 January 2025 to July 2025, over three lakh marriages were registered. Under the old act implemented in 2010, a total of 330,064 marriages were registered up to 26 January 2025. On a daily average, under the old act only 67 marriages were registered per day, while after UCC implementation, this number has risen to 1,634 marriages per day.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said,
“Implementing the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand is a historic and bold decision by the state government. The UCC is not against any community but aims to provide equal rights, opportunities, and respect to all citizens. The unprecedented increase in marriage registrations shows that people have accepted this law and view it as a social reform. Uttarakhand has set a new direction for the entire country, and I am confident that other states will adopt this model in the future.”
