Uniform Civil Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 implemented by Uttarakhand Government

Uniform Civil Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 implemented by Uttarakhand Government

¨     Uniform Civil Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 implemented by Uttarakhand Government.

¨     The Uniform Civil Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 has been implemented by the Uttarakhand Government following the Governor’s approval.

¨     The ordinance has been promulgated under Article 213 of the Constitution of India and has come into force with immediate effect.

¨     Procedural, administrative, and penal improvements have been introduced to ensure effective and transparent implementation of the UCC.

¨     The amendments have been aimed at promoting women’s empowerment, protecting children’s rights, and ensuring equality in civil matters.

¨     A major reform under the UCC has been the simplification and digitisation of marriage registration procedures.

¨     Before the implementation of the UCC, marriages were registered under the Uttarakhand Compulsory Marriage Registration Act, 2010.

¨     This entire process was offline, requiring both the husband and wife, along with two witnesses, to be physically present at the sub-registrar's office.

¨     Nearly 100% of marriage registrations are now being completed online without mandatory physical presence at offices.

¨     More than 4.7 lakh marriage registrations have been completed within a year of the UCC coming into force.

¨     The amendments have aligned penal provisions with the new Indian legal codes and strengthened appellate mechanisms.

¨     On completion of one year of UCC implementation, “UCC Day” has been observed on 27 January across Uttarakhand with awareness programmes statewide.