Gandhinagar: Gujarat’s Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026 has received the assent of President Droupadi Murmu, completing a key constitutional step towards the state’s implementation of a common civil law framework. With the presidential approval, Gujarat becomes the second state after Uttarakhand to move ahead with a state-level Uniform Civil Code.
The Gujarat Assembly had passed the legislation in March 2026 after detailed discussions. The Bill covers several personal-law matters, including marriage, divorce, live-in relationships and related legal rights. However, its provisions exclude members of Scheduled Tribes (STs), as stated in the legislation.
What the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Covers
The Gujarat UCC seeks to establish common rules for key personal matters across communities. One of its major provisions is mandatory registration of marriages and divorces.
Under the Bill, failure to comply with prescribed registration requirements can attract a fine of up to ₹10,000. The legislation therefore brings marriage registration within a more formal and uniform administrative framework.
The Bill also introduces provisions relating to live-in relationships, making their registration compulsory. Couples would also have to inform the authorities when such relationships come to an end.
These provisions are aimed at bringing certain family and relationship matters within a formal legal registration system.
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Live-In Relationships to Come Under Formal Registration
A significant feature of the Gujarat UCC is its treatment of live-in relationships.
The legislation provides for compulsory registration of live-in relationships and requires couples to notify authorities when the relationship ends. It also recognises children born from such relationships as legitimate children of the couple.
The Bill further provides a legal route for women who are deserted by their live-in partners to seek maintenance.
These provisions make live-in relationships one of the key areas where the proposed law introduces specific legal and administrative requirements.
Polygamy and Forced Marriages
The legislation also contains provisions relating to marriage practices.
The Gujarat UCC bans polygamy and provides for imprisonment of up to seven years for marriages conducted through coercion or force.
The Bill also establishes a court-based framework for divorce. Divorce carried out through means other than a court decree can attract imprisonment of up to three years.
This places greater emphasis on formal legal procedures for ending a marriage.
Rules on Remarriage and Halala
The Bill provides that divorced couples can remarry without conditions imposed by the previous marriage.
It also prohibits the practice of halala in certain communities.
Together, these provisions seek to bring marriage, divorce and remarriage under a common statutory framework rather than leaving these matters entirely to different personal-law systems.
Scheduled Tribes Excluded From the Law
The Gujarat UCC does not apply to members of Scheduled Tribes.
The exemption is specifically mentioned in the legislation and reflects the constitutional protection available to tribal communities and their customary practices. This means that the law’s proposed common framework will not operate in the same manner for ST communities covered by the exemption.
From Assembly Passage to Presidential Assent
The Gujarat Legislative Assembly passed the UCC Bill in March 2026. The legislation subsequently went through the constitutional process for presidential consideration.
The Union Home Ministry had welcomed the Assembly’s passage of the Bill in March, noting that Gujarat had followed Uttarakhand in legislating on the Uniform Civil Code.
President Murmu’s assent now clears the key constitutional hurdle for the state legislation. Reports published on October 2 said the approval paves the way for the Gujarat government to proceed with implementation.
What the UCC Could Mean for Residents
For residents, the legislation could bring significant changes in how marriage, divorce and live-in relationships are registered and legally documented.
Marriage and divorce registration would follow common statutory requirements, while live-in relationships would also come under a formal registration mechanism. The provisions concerning children and maintenance could create specific legal protections for people in live-in relationships.
At the same time, the law’s implementation will depend on the administrative procedures, registration mechanisms and detailed rules through which the provisions are put into practice.
The Gujarat development also adds to the growing state-level discussion around the Uniform Civil Code. Uttarakhand was the first state to implement a comprehensive UCC, while Gujarat’s legislation represents the next major state-level move after its Assembly passed the Bill.
The presidential assent therefore marks an important stage in Gujarat’s legislative process, with the focus now shifting towards the practical implementation of the new civil-law framework.
