The Gujarat government formally presented the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026 to the State Legislative Assembly on March 24, 2026. This legislative initiative seeks to establish a unified legal framework for personal matters such as marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships, applicable across all religious communities within the state. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel tabled the Bill, following the submission of a comprehensive report by a State-appointed expert panel. If enacted, Gujarat would become the second Indian state, after Uttarakhand in February 2024, to implement a Uniform Civil Code. The proposed legislation is intended to extend its jurisdiction throughout the entire state and also to Gujarat residents residing outside its geographical boundaries. However, it explicitly states that its provisions will not encompass members of Scheduled Tribes or other groups whose customary rights are constitutionally protected. Key elements of the Bill include the mandating of registration for live-in relationships and their formal termination, alongside a prohibition on bigamy, stipulating that a marriage's validity requires both parties to be free from any existing marital ties.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ucc-bill-tabled-in-gujarat-assembly-proposes-common-framework-for-marriage-succession-and-live-in-ties/article70779414.ece
