Partner's past won't be private in U'khand

DEHRADUN: Couples planning to marry or enter a live-in relationship in Uttarakhand will be able to access information about their partners' pasts under new provisions of Uniform Civil Code (UCC), to be implemented in the state by the end of this year. The move aims to "prevent individuals from misleading others into relationships," officials said.
Ex-chief secretary Shatrughan Singh, who heads the nine-member panel preparing UCC rules, said, "Information provided by an individual at the time of registering either his/her live-in relationship or marriage will be stored in our database, allowing us to refer to the facts in future.Couples will also need to inform the authorities about termination of a marriage or live-in status."
Singh said "The information will be provided in accordance with the law, and only shared with both partners when they are physically present and submit a written request."
UCC will compulsorily require couples to register for marriage or a live-in relationship. An online registration app is being developed to facilitate this process to "help them save time and money." A decision on whether couples must submit their Aadhaar details or provide biometric will be made soon.
In case of a breakup or divorce, couples must fill out and submit a termination form to maintain accurate relationship status records. If a live-in couple is between 18 and 21, their parents will also be informed of their relationship status.
Authorities are confident that UCC provisions will be implemented in Uttarakhand by the end of the year. UCC includes seven schedules and 392 sections, addressing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and live-in relationships. It aims to end practices like polygamy, polyandry, halala, iddat, and talaq while ensuring property rights for children and protecting the rights of unborn children.