Rajasthan Cabinet Greenlights UCC Bill for Polygamy Ban and Live-In Relationship Registration

The Rajasthan Cabinet has taken a significant step by approving a legislative proposal aimed at implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). This new bill seeks to prohibit polygamy and mandates the registration of marriages and divorces within 60 days, as reported by The Hindu. With the upcoming panchayat and local body elections on the horizon, this initiative is particularly timely, as it will be presented before the Assembly during its monsoon session commencing August 20.

Rajasthan joins a list of states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that are pushing for a common personal law framework. The UCC is designed to provide a unified set of legal guidelines that govern essential aspects of personal life, such as marriage, divorce, succession, and adoption, applicable to all citizens regardless of religion. Currently, personal matters are largely dictated by specific community laws, which often reflect religious traditions.

Significantly, the proposed bill includes provisions that ensure equal property rights for sons and daughters from all religious backgrounds, moving away from traditional personal laws that often favor male heirs. Additionally, the legislation will require that live-in relationships be officially registered or at least informally documented, thus bringing greater recognition to such arrangements.

However, the UCC will not be applicable to Scheduled Tribes and other communities that enjoy constitutional protections for their customary rights, as clarified by state minister Jogaram Patel. This provision aims to respect and preserve the unique cultural practices of these groups while promoting broader legal uniformity.

The development of this bill stems from recommendations made by a high-level committee led by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, who has been instrumental in drafting the framework for the proposed UCC. As the political landscape evolves, this move could significantly reshape personal law in Rajasthan and possibly set a precedent for other states considering similar reforms.

Source: scroll.in