Awareness about marriage registration has increased in Uttarakhand, resulting in a 24-fold increase. The Chief Minister said that the objective of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is not against any community

Following the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand, there has been a 24-fold increase in marriage registrations. The UCC has increased awareness among people about the importance of registering their marriages.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand became the first state in the country to implement the UCC. During the 2022 assembly elections, the party had pledged to implement the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand, and they fulfilled this promise upon coming to power.

CM Dhami decided to implement the UCC in the state during his very first cabinet meeting. After completing all formalities and conducting public consultations, the UCC law was implemented in the state on January 27, 2025.

This historic decision by the Chief Minister is a bold step towards social justice, gender equality, and equal rights. This law is in line with the spirit of Article 44 of the Indian Constitution and aims to provide equal rights and respect to all citizens of every class and community, especially women. Marriage, divorce, inheritance, live-in relationships, and related issues are covered under the UCC.

The law has fixed the marriage age for both men and women and has also introduced stringent provisions for divorce and other procedures across all religions. The implementation of this law has freed women from harmful practices like polygamy and triple talaq.

Following the implementation of the UCC, there has been a surge in marriage registrations in the state. According to the data, in the six months since the UCC was implemented on January 27, 2025, until July 25, the number of marriage registrations has exceeded 300,000. In contrast, under the old act implemented in 2010, a total of just over 330,000 marriage registrations were recorded until January 26, 2025. On average, the daily number of marriage registrations under the old act was only 67, which has now increased to 1634 after the implementation of the UCC.

Implementing the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand is a historic and courageous decision by the state government. The UCC is not aimed against any community but rather to provide equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal respect to all citizens. The unprecedented increase in marriage registrations shows that the public has accepted this law and views it as a social reform. The state has set a new direction for the entire country, and I am confident that other states will also adopt this model in the future.
–Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister