Overview
- Deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghavi introduced the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026 in the Assembly, with discussion slated for March 24.
- The code covers marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships for all communities, with exemptions for Scheduled Tribes and groups protected under Part XXI of the Constitution.
- Live-in relationships must be registered for couples residing in Gujarat, with penalties for non-registration or false declarations, police intimation of filings, parental notification if a partner is under 21, legitimacy for children and maintenance rights for deserted women.
- Marriages require monogamy, minimum ages of 21 for men and 18 for women, recognition of customary rites and compulsory registration, and divorces must proceed through courts with decrees registered and penalties for non-compliance.
- A uniform succession framework applies to residents regardless of religion, prioritizing spouses, children and parents as first heirs, and the law extends to many Gujarat residents living outside the state under defined residency criteria.