The Uniform Civil Code was recently presented by the Uttarakhand government at the state assembly. The bill proposes a common law on marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance for all citizens irrespective of their religion in Uttarakhand, excluding the Scheduled Tribes.
According to Indian Express, the bill aims to regulate live-in relationships. Couples in a live-in relationship are supposed to register their relationship within a month of getting into the relationship. If they fail to do so, they will face imprisonment for up to 3 months, a fine of Rs 10,000 or both.
The bill makes it “obligatory for partners to a live-in relationship within a State, whether they are resident of Uttarakhand or not, to submit a statement of live-in relationship under sub-section (1) of section 381 to the Registrar within whose jurisdiction they are so living.”
The registrar will then conduct a “summary inquiry” into the relationship to make sure that the relationship does not fall under any of the categories mentioned under Section 380 including:
- Where at least one of the persons is a minor.
- Where at least one of the persons is married.
- Where at least one of the persons is already in a live-in relationship.
In case of termination of the relationship, couples are required to submit a “statement of live-in relationship” to the registrar concerned.
Responding to the Uniform Civil Code Bill, Investigative Journalist Saurav Das wrote, “The State is now inside your bedrooms, requiring you to “register” who you love, where you love, when you started loving, when the love ended. This is moral policing given state sanction.”
He went on to raise certain very important questions.
“Aside from this, how exactly can the state/police practically enforce this law? What if you live-in but are not in a relationship? Or there are frequent break-ups and patch-ups? Or if you are in a situation-ship? What about same-sex couples? In a system that is so marred by widespread perjury, how exactly will an already overburdened criminal justice system seek the truth here? This criminalisation of personal relationships will only feed vigilantes and fringe elements. Besides, it will bring further chaos and instability for vulnerable couples in non-Tier I cities. Whoever has made this bill was clearly driven by regressive ideological concerns rather than practical realities.”
Have a look at his post here:
#LiveInRelationships: The newly introduced Uniform Civil Code Bill in the Uttarakhand Assembly makes it compulsory for “live-in relationships” to be registered within a period of 1 month from the “date of entering into the relationship”.
Fail to do so and you maybe sent to jail… pic.twitter.com/bwpJ7kXfan
— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) February 6, 2024
Many people online also called the bill out for perpetuating regressive ideas about live-in relationships and said that it is an attack on one’s personal life. Here’s what they said:
The state entering our private intimate lives is the last nail on the coffin of democracy and privacy. Saurav Das breaks it down so well. https://t.co/CtdViJ1i1c
— Aatreyee (@aatreyee2) February 6, 2024
Fair to say Bajrang dal volunteers would have a lot of work to do. Moral policing and vigilantism would provide the most employment in Uttarakhand. https://t.co/1PbuOLj3g5
— Sanket D. Patil (@sankulyaa) February 6, 2024
If this isn’t the murder of free living, what else is..!!
Under the new dictatorship of illiterate PM, unmarried people r not allowed to live together with whomever they wish..!!
Thanks everyone for taking back Uttarakhand to stone age..!! #justasking https://t.co/q4M9whTNUN— Yashas B D (@yashasbd) February 6, 2024
Couples, many of whom are even hiding their live-ins from their parents, must register with the government. 😂 https://t.co/NmGPTdn7iX
— Hardeep Asrani (@HardeepAsrani) February 6, 2024
Unnecessary law, it's bound to help the stupid moral policing already faced by people and also will definitely be misused by the people it's meant to "protect" https://t.co/Cq5Vx7nZyq
— Vinod (@vnodkumar19) February 6, 2024
The state is in all our bedrooms now. What will be next ? A non-married couple can't stay together? Such regressive polices will do no one any good. https://t.co/NKEjXtUYl9
— Simran Kaur (@KaurSimran9797) February 6, 2024
Is this a ploy to zero in on inter-faith relationships? There are so many variables in live-in arrangements. What business is it of the authorities to interfere in the personal lives of citizens? What happened to "Minimum Government"?#LiveInRelationships https://t.co/cYXzczoxfA
— Rina Kamath (@chipskamath) February 6, 2024
In recent times,there has been a huge spurt in crimes in live-in relationships,how can state be a mute spectator in the name of individual privacy. Its state responsibility to stop crime,deceit in the name of love or relationship. Love has become a weapon of crime.
— Avishkar (@twstopsfreespch) February 6, 2024
What are your views on the Uniform Civil Code Bill?