Madhya Pradesh Passes Uniform Civil Code, Becomes Fourth State to Enact Common Civil Law

The Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, making the state the fourth in the country to enact a common civil law governing matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and succession. Scheduled Tribes have been kept outside the ambit of the legislation.

The Bill was passed after a debate during the Monsoon Session, with the ruling BJP describing it as a landmark step towards ensuring equality before the law. The Opposition Congress, however, opposed several provisions, alleging that the government was pushing a politically motivated measure.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav hailed the legislation as a "historic day", saying it would guarantee equal rights and responsibilities for all citizens irrespective of religion. He said the draft was prepared after an extensive public consultation process led by a committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai.

The law mandates compulsory registration of marriages and live-in relationships, prohibits polygamy, prescribes a uniform legal procedure for divorce and grants equal inheritance rights to men and women. Live-in couples will have to register their relationship within a month, while marriages will be registered down to the village level.

During the debate, the Congress questioned the need for mandatory registration of live-in relationships and argued that the government was prioritising ideological issues over pressing governance concerns. Defending the legislation, the chief minister maintained that the UCC was aimed at ensuring justice and equality and did not target any particular community.

With the Bill's passage, Madhya Pradesh joins Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam in implementing a state-level Uniform Civil Code, even as the debate over a nationwide UCC continues.