Uttarakhand Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, has approved Uniform Civil Code (UCC) manual in a meeting held at the State Secretariat on Monday. The decision is a step closer to the implementation of the UCC, which aims to provide a unified set of personal laws for all citizens, irrespective of religion, gender, or caste.
The manual was thoroughly reviewed by the legislative department before being approved by the cabinet. Speaking to the media, CM Dhami reaffirmed his government’s commitment to fulfilling its 2022 electoral promise of implementing the UCC in the state. “We had promised the people of Uttarakhand that we would bring the UCC Bill as soon as our government was formed. The draft was prepared, passed, and subsequently signed into law by the President. The training process is almost complete, and we will soon announce the dates of implementation after thorough analysis,” said Dhami.
BJP government introduced the UCC Bill during a special session of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly on February 6, 2024. It was passed with a significant majority the following day and received presidential assent on March 13, 2024, making Uttarakhand a pioneer in this legal reform.
What Does UCC Mean?
Uniform Civil Code aims to replace disparate personal laws governing matters such as marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance, and succession with a single set of laws applicable to all citizens. The state government sees this as a progressive step toward ensuring equality and social justice.
Uttarakhand’s move toward implementing the UCC has sparked significant debate across the country. Supporters hail it as a measure to uphold constitutional principles of equality and secularism, while critics raise concerns about its potential impact on religious and cultural practices.
With the manual now approved, all eyes are on the government for the announcement of implementation dates, which could make Uttarakhand the first state in India to enforce the Uniform Civil Code.
(With ANI Inputs)
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