24-fold increase in marriage registrations under UCC in Uttarakhand

A press release issued, citing official figures, stated that after the UCC was implemented in the state on January 27 last year, the number of registrations crossed the 3-lakh mark in just the first half of 2025.

Dehradun: Following the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), marriage registrations in Uttarakhand have increased significantly, with the average daily number registering a 24-fold increase compared to the previous act.

A press release issued here, citing official figures, stated that after the UCC was implemented in the state on January 27 last year, the number of registrations crossed the 3-lakh mark in just the first half of 2025.

In contrast, under the Uttarakhand Compulsory Marriage Registration Act, 2010, up to 3.3 lakh marriages were registered during the 15-year period between 2010 and 2025.

According to the release, on average, only 67 marriages were registered daily under the old act, while after the implementation of the UCC, this number has increased to 1,634 per day.

"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.

In this regard, Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami said, "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 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.