The clearance comes months after the Governor returned the earlier amendment bill in August 2025, citing technical and drafting shortcomings. The state government subsequently revised the proposal, incorporated stricter compliance provisions, and resubmitted it for approval, which has now been granted by Raj Bhavan.
Officials said the amended UCC introduces changes to registration timelines, penalties, and administrative oversight. Couples married before January 2025 will now be given one year—extended from the earlier six months—to register their marriages once the amendment comes into force. Marriage registration remains mandatory under the UCC framework.
In a key administrative change, the post of Registrar General will be restricted to officers of the rank of Additional Secretary. The amendment also replaces monetary fines with punitive penalties for non-compliance with registration requirements, signalling a tougher enforcement approach.
Uttarakhand implemented the UCC on January 27, 2025, becoming the first state in the country to do so after receiving Presidential assent in March 2024. The law standardised marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption rules across communities, while exempting the state’s tribal population from its ambit.
Under the UCC, registration of live-in relationships is mandatory, children born out of such relationships are granted legal recognition and inheritance rights, and the minimum age of marriage has been fixed at 21 for men and 18 for women. The code also provides equal property rights to sons and daughters and uniform grounds for divorce.
However, the law has drawn criticism and raised implementation challenges. The UCC does not allow registration of same-sex or transgender marriages, leading to unresolved cases. Privacy concerns have been flagged over requirements linked to live-in relationships, while inter-caste and inter-state tribal marriages have reportedly faced procedural hurdles due to varying interpretations by registration officials.
The amended provisions make concealing one’s identity while marrying or entering a live-in relationship a punishable offence, a measure the government says is aimed at preventing deception and ensuring women’s safety. At the same time, the revised rules remove the requirement for live-in couples to inform their parents, citing privacy considerations.
With the Governor’s approval secured, the Dhami government is expected to push the amendment through the Assembly in the budget session, positioning the changes as necessary to streamline implementation and address gaps identified since the UCC came into force.
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