Uttarakhand Implements Uniform Civil Code with Mandatory Live-In Relationship Registration

The state becomes the first in India to enforce UCC, drawing privacy concerns and criticism over mandatory registration requirements.

Uttarakhand's Uniform Civil Code (UCC), effective January 27, mandates the registration of live-in relationships, with one couple registered and five applications pending so far.
The law requires all live-in couples, including non-residents and those with foreign partners, to register their relationships within a month or face penalties such as fines or imprisonment.
Critics argue the law infringes on privacy and disproportionately affects women and minority communities, while some couples express reluctance to register over concerns about data security.
Officials claim applicant details are encrypted and protected, but reports suggest groups like Bajrang Dal are allegedly accessing this data to monitor interfaith couples.
The UCC aims to regulate personal relationships and includes provisions for notifying police, informing guardians of underage partners, and reporting pregnancies resulting from live-in arrangements.