Rajasthan Clears Draft UCC Bill With A Clause For Live-In Relations, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• The Rajasthan Cabinet has approved the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026, making it the fifth state in India to do so.
• The Bill aims to regulate marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships, making marriage registration mandatory within 60 days.
• It prohibits polygamy and grants equal inheritance rights to sons and daughters, including unborn children.
• The provisions of the UCC Bill will not apply to Scheduled Tribes.
• Concurrently, the Cabinet also cleared the Rajasthan Trees (Protection) Bill, 2026, for the conservation of 29 tree species, including the state tree Khejri.

Detailed Insights:

• The UCC Bill seeks to establish uniform, transparent, and systematic governance for personal laws in Rajasthan.
• The draft legislation was formulated based on the recommendations of an expert committee headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai.
• Failure to register a marriage within the stipulated 60 days will not invalidate the marriage but will incur a fine of up to ₹10,000, escalating to ₹25,000 if not registered after notice.
• The Bill outlines a clear judicial process for declaring marriages void under specific conditions, such as forced consent or violation of the Code.
• Property of individuals dying without a will is to be transferred according to a prescribed priority order, categorizing heirs into three groups.
• The Rajasthan Trees (Protection) Bill, 2026, proposes penalties including one year imprisonment or a fine of ₹1 lakh for illegal felling of protected trees on non-forest land.
• The Khejri tree (Prosopis cineraria) is culturally and ecologically significant in Rajasthan, often referred to as the "Kalpavriksha of the desert" and revered by the Bishnoi community.
• The Congress party boycotted the UCC hearings, raising concerns about the state's medical system and the efficacy of the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS).

Key Concepts Involved:

• Uniform Civil Code (UCC): A proposed common set of laws governing personal matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.
• Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP): Guidelines in Part IV of the Indian Constitution, including Article 44 which mandates the state to endeavor to secure a UCC for its citizens.
• Live-in relationships: Unmarried couples cohabiting, which the Bill proposes to regulate through mandatory registration to safeguard the rights of both partners.
• Scheduled Tribes (STs): Constitutionally recognized indigenous communities in India, explicitly exempted from the purview of Rajasthan's proposed UCC Bill.