Uttarakhand UCC: 6 months jail for those who fail to declare live-in relationships

The Uniform Civil Code Bill tabled in the Uttarakhand Assembly on Tuesday mandates registration of ‘live-in relationships,’ a failure of which would incur a jail term of up to 6 months.

Individuals in, or planning to enter, live-in relationships will have to register themselves with district officials once the UCC is implemented. Anyone in a live-in relationship for more than a month without making the declaration could face a jail term of up to three months, a fine of ₹ 10,000, or both. The maximum sentence for unregistered live-in couples is of six months or a fine of up to ₹25,000, or both.

Parental consent would be required for individuals below the age of 21 who wish to be in a live-in relationship. The relationship would not be registered if one partner is married or in another relationship or if one partner is a minor. Relationships that the Code deems to "against public policy and morality" will also not be registered.

The mandatory registration extends to residents of Uttarakhand who may be in a live-in relationship outside the State.

The UCC also lists down a procedure for legal "termination" of the registered relationship. It requires a written statement in a "prescribed format" and can invite police investigation if the reasons for ending the relationship deem "suspicious". Parents or guardians of those under 21 will also be informed in case of termination of a relationship.

On the flip side, the newly introduced Civil Code also ensures that children born out of live-in relationships be considered "legitimate".