The Uttarakhand High Court has strongly rebuked a 23-year-old petitioner challenging the enforcement of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state, particularly the mandatory registration of live-in relationships. The petitioner, Jai Tripathi, argued that the provision violated personal liberty and privacy by “institutionalizing gossip and intruding on personal choices.”
However, a bench comprising Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mahra dismissed these concerns, questioning the claim of secrecy in a live-in relationship. “Are you living secretly, in some secluded cave? You are brazenly living together without there being a marriage. Then what is the secret?” the court remarked.
Emphasizing that the state government is not prohibiting live-in relationships but simply requiring their registration, the bench further added, “The state hasn’t said that you can’t live together… Who is coming in between? You need to understand that you are alleging that they are invading your privacy, disclosing your details. If there is any such material, please disclose it. No omnibus submissions. If you make allegations, be specific.”
Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to enact the UCC on January 27, establishing uniform laws governing marriage, divorce, property, inheritance, and adoption. A key provision mandates the registration of live-in relationships and requires parental consent for individuals under 21 entering such arrangements. The regulation applies to all residents of Uttarakhand, including those in live-in relationships outside the state.
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Failure to register a live-in relationship or providing false information can lead to imprisonment for up to three months, a fine of Rs 25,000, or both. A delay in registration beyond a month could attract a penalty of Rs 10,000 and a three-month prison term. The law also ensures equal inheritance rights for children born out of live-in relationships, recognizing them as “legitimate children of the couple.”
To streamline implementation, the Uttarakhand government has launched an online portal for the registration of marriages, divorces, succession rights, live-in relationships, and their termination. Citizens can complete the process via mobile or desktop, with application progress updates available through email and SMS notifications.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami hailed the law as “an offering made by our state in the great ‘yagya’ being performed by the Prime Minister to make the country a developed, organized, harmonious, and self-reliant nation.”
