President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026, making Gujarat the second state in India after Uttarakhand to enact a comprehensive Uniform Civil Code.
The Gujarat government will now notify the rules for implementing the legislation, following which the law will come into force. The Bill was passed by the Gujarat Assembly on March 24 after an eight-hour debate. The legislation excludes the state’s Scheduled Tribe population from its provisions.
The UCC introduces common rules covering areas such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and live-in relationships. Under the legislation, marriage registration will be compulsory, generally within 60 days, with a penalty of up to ₹10,000 for non-compliance. Polygamy and bigamy are prohibited, while marriages conducted through force, coercion or fraud can attract imprisonment of up to seven years.
The law also provides that divorce must be approved and registered through the court. Certain forms of customary or out-of-court divorce will not be legally valid. Triple talaq and nikah halala are also prohibited under the legislation. The law provides equal property rights to sons and daughters.
The UCC also contains provisions related to live-in relationships. Couples in such relationships will be required to register their partnership and inform authorities when it ends. Children born from such relationships will be treated as legitimate and will have legal claims to their father’s property. A woman deserted by her live-in partner can also seek maintenance.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had said during the Assembly debate that the legislation was aimed at ensuring equal rights and protecting women’s dignity. The government has described the UCC as a measure intended to promote social harmony and equality.
The legislation, however, faced opposition in the Assembly. Congress staged a walkout, while Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party had sought to send the Bill to a select committee for further examination and consultations. Opposition leaders also criticised the legislation and raised concerns about its impact on Gujarat’s diverse communities and traditions.
Gujarat now joins Uttarakhand as the second state to enact a comprehensive UCC through a modern legislative framework. Assam and Madhya Pradesh have also passed UCC-related legislation, though their laws have not yet been implemented. Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan have formed committees to examine the introduction of UCC legislation.
Goa has a separate legal history, continuing to follow the Portuguese Civil Code of 1867 rather than a UCC enacted through a modern legislative process.
Reader Comments 0