UCC: Live-in relationship regn must in one month

UCC: Live-in relationship regn must in one month

Kautilya.Singh@timesofindia.com 21.10.2024

Dehradun : The Uniform Civil Code (UCC), expected to be implemented in Uttarakhand on the state’s foundation day on Nov 9, will require couples to register their marriages within six months of the law’s enactment, while livein couples must register within one month. Noncompliance will carry penalties of up to six months in jail and fines of up to Rs 25,000. Couples who fail to register will be ineligible for govt benefits, and those already registered in other states must update their records in Uttarakhand. Landlords renting their property to unregistered couples may also face action if they deliberately conceal information. 

The UCC also proposes that parents inherit a share of their deceased children’s movable and immovable property. An official privy to the details of the UCC provisions told TOI, “It will be mandatory for couples to register their live-in relationship within one month of notification, or they will face punishment as per the provisions. The proposed law also suggests the role of landlords and house owners who rent their property to such couples. If they deliberately conceal facts, action may be initiated against them, too.” The UCC lays out penalties for delays or failure to register live-in relationships and for providing false information. The law states: “Whoever stays in a live-in relationship for more than one month from the date of entering into such a relationship without submitting the statement of such relationship shall be punished on conviction by a judicial magistrate with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with a fine not exceeding Rs 10,000, or with both.” Providing false information could result in imprisonment for up to three months, a fine of Rs 25,000, or both. 

In cases where a couple fails to register, they could face a jail term of up to six months or a fine not exceeding Rs 25,000, or both. Any child born out of a live-in relationship will be considered legitimate under the UCC, and in the event of desertion, the woman can claim maintenance. While the law ensures the secrecy of  live-in couples, it also mandates that parents of couples aged 18 to 21 be informed of their relationship. Couples who do not register their marriage within six months of the UCC notification will be ineligible for government welfare schemes. 

Additionally, those who have registered their marriage in other states must update their records in Uttarakhand. “It is a simple process which can be easily done through the mobile app developed by the authorities. One will not have to visit government offices to get themselves registered,” the source added