[By Mumbai Samachar Desk]
Ahmedabad: Gujarat became only the second Indian state to pass a Uniform Civil Code after Uttarakhand, when the state assembly cleared the UCC Bill 2026 late on Monday following more than seven hours of debate.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel introduced the legislation formally tabled as Gujarat Bill No. 17 of 2026 and addressed the assembly for 25 minutes. He said the law would not erase tribal customs or harm minority cultural traditions, and that it was specifically designed to protect women and children. When he tabled the bill, BJP members in the house broke into chants of “Jai Shree Ram.”
Congress was unconvinced. MLA Amit Chavda pointed out that the expert committee was given 45 days to submit its report but took a year and that even after the report arrived on the 17th, the government rushed the bill to the floor just a week later, on the 24th. He alleged the committee report was never shared with MLAs for study, and accused the government of timing the bill around upcoming local body elections. He also noted that the Jheveri Commission report on OBC reservations equally awaited has still not been made public.
What the bill actually says
The core aim is a single legal framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance, and live-in relationships that applies to all communities regardless of religion.
On marriage and divorce: registration will be mandatory for all citizens, with a fine of up to ₹10,000 for non-compliance. Polygamy carries a four-year prison term. Divorces obtained outside of court will be invalid, and the same divorce rules will apply across all religions. The CM also clarified that cousin marriages a practice in some minority communities are exempt from the law’s provisions.
On live-in relationships: couples must register within three months. Children born from such relationships will be granted full legal recognition and protections.
The bill explicitly excludes Scheduled Tribes and certain groups with constitutionally protected customary rights from its scope.
The committee behind the bill
The Gujarat government had constituted a high-level committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The panel reviewed suggestions from millions of citizens alongside legal precedents before submitting its report, which formed the basis of the draft legislation. The bill also extends its application beyond Gujarat residents Gujaratis living in other states will also fall under its provisions.