Uttarakhand Government Likely to Pass Uniform Civil Code Bill in Upcoming Assembly Session on February 5
The Uttarakhand assembly secretariat has announced a session of the state assembly to be convened on February 5. While the agenda is yet to be finalized, there are strong indications that the state government is gearing up to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) at the earliest. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has confirmed that the draft report for the UCC is nearly complete.
A notice issued by the state assembly on Thursday stated: "The Fifth Vidhan Sabha of Uttarakhand is summoned to meet for the second session of the year 2023 at 11 am on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, in the Sabha Mandap, Vidhan Sabha Bhawan, Dehradun. The session was adjourned sine die on September 8, 2023. The Speaker of Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly has summoned the House again from Monday, February 5, 2024, at 11 am in the Sabha Mandal, Vidhan Sabha, Dehradun."
The State Government Extends Tenure of Expert Panel Drafting UCC Report by 15 Days
The Uttarakhand government has decided to extend the tenure of the expert committee tasked with drafting the UCC for the state. This decision comes as the committee's original tenure was set to end on February 26. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami announced during the 75th Republic Day function that the committee has almost completed its work but required additional time to finalize certain formalities. Consequently, the tenure has been extended by 15 days. Dhami further stated that once the draft is received, a special assembly session will be called to pass it.
This is the fourth extension granted to the special committee since its formation. Initially constituted on May 27, 2022, the committee received its third extension of four months in September last year. CM Dhami, during the assembly election campaign in 2022, had pledged to introduce a UCC bill. The committee has diligently worked on the draft, gathering input from various sections of Uttarakhand society.
The five-member committee is tasked with drafting a bill addressing a range of issues including divorce, live-in relationships, marriage registrations, polygamy, adoption, parental maintenance, and women's property rights in the state.
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