Gujarat UCC Bill gets President Murmu's assent, to come into force after state notification

The Gujarat Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill 2026 has received the assent of President Droupadi Murmu, paving the way for implementation of the legislation, according to a notification published in the Gujarat Government Gazette, PTI reported.

The Act will come into force on a date to be appointed by the state government through a notification in the Gazette.

The legislation, passed by the BJP-ruled Gujarat Assembly on March 24 after a debate lasting more than seven hours, was published in an extraordinary gazette dated October 1. The notification said the Act received the President's assent on September 17, PTI reported.

The Act seeks to "govern and regulate the laws relating to marriage and divorce, succession, live-in relationship and matters related thereto". It extends to the whole of Gujarat and also applies to residents of Gujarat living outside the state.

However, the Act specifically excludes members of Scheduled Tribes covered under Article 342 of the Constitution and persons or groups whose customary rights are protected under Part XXI of the Constitution.

The legislation provides a common framework for marriage, divorce and succession, besides regulating live-in relationships. It prohibits bigamy and makes monogamy a condition for marriage, stating that neither party should have a spouse living at the time of marriage.

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The minimum marriageable age is 21 years for men and 18 years for women. Marriages may be solemnised according to customary practices, religious beliefs, ceremonies, rites and rituals, with the Act specifically listing practices including 'Saptapadi', 'Nikah', 'Anand Karaj' and 'Mangal Fera'.

Registration of marriages is mandatory, with parties required to submit a memorandum for registration within 60 days for marriages solemnised after the commencement of the Code. Wilfully failing to submit the mandatory registration memorandum can attract a penalty of up to Rs 10,000.

The Code lays down common grounds for divorce, including adultery, cruelty, desertion for at least two years, conversion and disappearance for seven years. It also provides for divorce by mutual consent where the parties have lived separately for at least one year.

It further states that no marriage can be dissolved except in accordance with its provisions, notwithstanding any personal law, custom or tradition to the contrary. Children of marriages declared null and void are to be treated as legitimate under the Code.

The Code also contains provisions on succession, under which the estate of a person dying without a will will pass first to specified Class-1 heirs, followed by Class-2 heirs and other relatives.

A significant feature is the regulation of live-in relationships. The legislation makes submission of a statement of live-in relationship obligatory for partners living in Gujarat.

Gujarat residents living outside the state may submit such a statement to the Registrar in the area where they ordinarily reside.

Children of a live-in relationship are recognised as legitimate.

In certain cases, information submitted for registration is to be forwarded to the local police station. Where either partner is below 21 years of age, the parents or guardians are to be informed.

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When the Bill was passed in March, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel described its key provisions as "mandatory registration of marriages, registration of live-in relationships, uniform rules for divorce, equal inheritance rights for daughters and sons, and strict enforcement along with penalty provisions for non-compliance."

"If mandatory marriage registration is not done within 60 days, there is a fine of up to 10,000," Patel had said.

He also said divorce registration after a court-granted divorce would be mandatory and that "out-of-court divorces will be invalid".

On live-in relationships, Patel said registration was mandatory. However, he asserted that the provision was "not meant to snatch anyone's freedom, but for the legal protection of our daughters".

The Gujarat UCC Bill 2026 was passed on March 24 through a majority voice vote after the Congress and AAP opposed it and demanded that it be referred to a select committee.

The legislation was introduced in the Assembly a week after a state-appointed panel submitted its final report on implementation of the UCC to Chief Minister Patel.