Uttarakhand Will Show The Way To Other States: CM Pushkar Singh Dhami On Uniform Civil Code

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to announce the implementation of the UCC in the state.

Dehradun: Even as all formalities have been completed for implementation of the much-awaited Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand, the state government has started training its officers and staff on the new rules.

The Union Civil Code is likely to be implemented in the state on January 26 as the code of conduct in force for municipal elections will end on January 25. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to announce the implementation of the UCC in the state. The Prime Minister is slated to visit Dehradun to inaugurate the 38th National Games on January 28. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said implementation of UCC in the state was a promise which has been fulfilled. "Processes and formalities, along with training of officials are almost complete. Uttarakhand will be the first state in the country to implement UCC," he said.

Dhami said Uttarakhand will show the show the path to the other states. "UCC is not divisive politics. It is a uniform system made for everyone," he said

The path to UCC

Chief Minister Dhami constituted an expert committee under the chairmanship of retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai on May 27, 2022 to draft the UCC.

The expert committee held its first meeting with all its members on July 4, 2022.

The committee held a total of 72 meetings. Suggestions were also taken from 2.33 lakh people.

The expert committee prepared the final draft of UCC on February 2, 2024 and handed it over to the government.

After the draft of UCC prepared by the expert committee was received by the state government, it was approved in a cabinet meeting held on February 3, 2024.

On February 6, 2024, during the Assembly's budget session, the UCC Bill-2024 was tabled in the House.

The UCC Bill was passed in the Assembly on February 7, 2024.

A Rules Making and Implementation Committee was constituted on February 10, 2024 under the chairmanship of former Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh

A proposal was sent to the Rashtrapati Bhavan through the Raj Bhavan for the President's approval on the UCC Bill

On March 11, 2024, the President approved the UCC Bill

On March 12, 2024, the state government issued a gazette notification pertaining to implementation of UCC

The Rules Making and Implementation Committee handed over the UCC Rules Draft to CM Dhami on October 18, 2024. The UCC rules were approved in the cabinet meeting held on Monday.

Information Technology Development Agency Director Nitika Khandelwal said that the state government had decided to implement UCC in digital format. He said ITDA has created portal for registration of Uniform Civil Code. Security audit and source code review of the UCC website have already been done. To avoid any technical problems in the UCC website, the GIGW (Guidelines for Indian Government Website) guidelines of the Government of India have been fully followed, he informed. The UCC website has been linked to the National Data Center for security purposes, Khandelwal added.

Prof Surekha Dangwal, Vice Chancellor of Doon University and member of the UCC Rules Making Committee, said training on UCC is a a continuous process. "At present, training is being imparted at the block level by taking the Common Service Centres along, which will be quite effective. People will use it to register their marriages. Those who register their marriages can also be given some incentives by the government," said Prof Dangwal.