Uniform Civil Code Bill introduced in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly

• Gujarat set to become the 3rd state in India to implement such a law

• Children born from live-in relationships (cohabitation without marriage) to receive legal recognition

Karnavati (Gujarat): The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill has been introduced in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly. The government will now issue an official notification, after which the law will come into effect from the specified date.

The legislation primarily includes provisions related to marriage, divorce, inheritance rights, and live-in relationships. With this move, Gujarat is set to become the 3rd state in India to enact such a law. Earlier, Uttarakhand implemented a similar law in January 2025, while Goa has long had a comparable legal framework in place.

The main objective of the bill is to establish a uniform legal structure governing marriage, divorce, property inheritance, and live-in relationships irrespective of religion. Under the provisions, divorce will not be permitted within one year of marriage.

Key provisions related to live-in relationships:

1. Couples who are residents of the state, as well as those from other states residing in Gujarat, must register their live-in relationship within 1 month.

2. If either partner is below 21 years of age, their parents will be informed.

3. Failure to register within 1 month may result in a penalty of ₹10,000, imprisonment for up to 3 months, or both.

4. A child born from a live-in relationship will be granted legal status.

5. In case of separation, the woman will have the right to maintenance.
In-frame

Ban imposed on the practice of ‘Halala’!

Under this law, the practice of halala has been prohibited. This means that if a Muslim couple separates through divorce and later wishes to remarry each other, they may do so without undergoing the intervening practice previously associated with halala.

The practice of halala refers to a situation in which, after divorce, a Muslim woman was required to marry another man and consummate that marriage before being allowed to remarry her former husband. The new provisions place a complete ban on this practice.

Editorial Perspectives

• If the Uniform Civil Code is implemented only in BJP-ruled states one by one, citizens in states such as Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala; where the BJP is not in power; will continue to face unequal legal treatment. Therefore, people now expect the Central Government to make efforts toward a nationwide law.
• Provisions granting legal recognition to children born from live-in relationships may encourage culturally undesirable practices such as live-in arrangements. Hindus expect the BJP government to discourage such social trends and instead work toward strengthening cultural values in society.