Gujarat Assembly Passes Uniform Civil Code Bill

Gandhinagar, India – The Gujarat state assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code Bill on March 24 after a seven-hour debate, establishing a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships that applies to all residents regardless of religion. The legislation, tabled by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, makes Gujarat the second state in India to enact such a code, following Uttarakhand's passage in February 2024.

The bill, titled the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2024, extends to the entire state and includes Gujarat residents living elsewhere, though it exempts members of Scheduled Tribes and groups with constitutionally protected customary rights. It mandates registration of marriages within 60 days, with penalties of up to 10,000 rupees for noncompliance. Marriages involving force, coercion, fraud, or bigamy face up to seven years in prison. Divorces require court approval, and failure to register them can result in up to three years imprisonment. The code ensures equal inheritance rights for sons and daughters and grants women the unconditional right to remarry.

Live-in relationships also require mandatory registration, with nonregistration...