Uttarakhand Government prepares a 15-point draft on Uniform Civil Code !

• Restraint on ‘Nikah Halala’, and ‘Iddat’

• Couples in a ‘Live in’ relationship will require registration

• Point on population control also included

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) – After forming the Government last year, the State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami initiated steps for passing of Uniform Civil Code as a part of fulfilling his promise given to the electorate. Now, the committee set up by Uttarakhand Government for this purpose has prepared a 15-point draft of the Uniform Civil Code, which will be submitted to the State Government. It is learnt from the sources, there are recommendations to make registration of marriage mandatory, and there will be a restraint on ‘Nikah Halala’ and ‘Iddat’, besides registration of ‘Live in’ relationship couples. There is a point even on population control in the draft.

Important points listed under the Uniform Civil Code !

1. Minimum age limit of marriage will be raised for girls.

2. Benefits of Government schemes will be available only on registration.

3. Husband and wife will have equal rights when it comes to divorce.

4. There will be a prohibition on polygamy.

5. A girl child will have equal rights as a male child in inheritance.

6. The process of adoption will be made simple for an orphaned child.

7. Grandparents will have custody of the grandchild in case of a conflict between the child’s parents.

8. The number of children may be restricted for controlling population.

What is ‘Nikah Halala’ and ‘Iddat’ ?

1.‘Nikah Halala’ is a custom under which when a woman wants to get married to the same man after getting divorced from him, she has to marry another man and have a physical relationship with him, get a divorce from him, and only then, she can marry the first husband.

2. ‘Iddat’ is the period a woman must observe after the death of her husband or after a divorce, during which she may not marry another man as per Islam.  

Editorial Viewpoint 

Commendable decision of BJP Govt. in Uttarakhand. In fact, every patriotic citizen feels that such a law needs to be passed at the national level by the Union Government, rather than every State passing it separately.