Bhoopal, July 19: The Madhya Pradesh government is set to approve the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) during a special Cabinet meeting on Sunday, paving the way for introducing the legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the State Assembly.
The draft proposes uniform family laws across religions and includes a provision requiring the registration of live in relationships. The proposed law will be tabled after Cabinet approval and completion of the legislative process.
The draft has been prepared by a high level committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The committee submitted its final report to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav after examining more than 9.58 lakh public suggestions.
According to the draft, marriages across all religions must be registered within one to two months. Divorce will be recognised only after completion of the legal process, while oral divorces will have no legal validity.
The proposal also states that remarriage without obtaining a legal divorce while a spouse is alive will be treated as a criminal offence.
The draft makes registration of live in relationships mandatory before a registrar. It also proposes penalties for couples who fail to register such relationships. In addition, children born from registered live in relationships will be entitled to statutory rights over ancestral property.
The committee has recommended excluding Scheduled Tribe communities from the UCC, following the approach adopted in states such as Gujarat and Uttarakhand.
The report consists of three volumes, including legal recommendations, a draft Bill containing 404 sections and seven schedules, and an analysis of public feedback.
After Cabinet approval, the Law Department will prepare the final legislation for introduction in the Assembly. The Bill will come into force after passage by the legislature and the Governor’s assent.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the proposed UCC aims to ensure equal legal rights for all citizens, strengthen women’s rights and bring uniformity to family laws.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari criticised the move, alleging that the BJP government was using the UCC to divert attention from issues such as inflation, unemployment, farmers’ concerns and women’s safety.
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