From 67 To Over 1,600 A Day: Marriage Registrations Jump Under Uniform Civil Code In Uttarakhand

Marriage registrations in Uttarakhand have witnessed a sharp rise following the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), with the average daily number increasing nearly 24 times compared to the earlier

act.

According to a government press release, more than three lakh marriages have been registered in just the first half of 2025 after the UCC was implemented in the state on January 27 last year. This marked a significant increase compared to the Uttarakhand Compulsory Marriage Registration Act, 2010, under which around 3.3 lakh marriages were registered over a 15-year period between 2010 and 2025, news agency PTI reported.

As per the press release, an average of 67 marriages were registered per day under the previous act, while the figure has risen to 1,634 registrations daily after the implementation of the UCC.

“After UCC came into effect, awareness about marriage registration has increased among the general public,” the government said in the statement.

It further stated that marriage, divorce, inheritance, live-in relationships and related provisions have been included in the UCC.

“This law sets the marriage age for both men and women and provides uniform and stringent provisions for divorce and other procedures across all religions. The implementation of the UCC has freed women from harmful practices such as polygamy,” the statement said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami described the implementation of the UCC as a “historic and courageous” step.

“Implementing the UCC in Uttarakhand is a historic and courageous decision by the state government. The objective of the UCC is not against any community, but to provide equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal respect to all citizens,” he said.

He said that the significant increase in marriage registrations shows that the public has accepted this law and views it as a social reform. He expressed hope that Uttarakhand has set a new direction for the entire country and that other states will also adopt this model in the future.

(With inputs from PTI)