UCC Bill tabled in Gujarat Assembly, proposes common framework for marriage, succession and live-in ties

The Gujarat government on Tuesday (March 24, 2026) tabled the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026 in the Legislative Assembly, proposing a common legal framework to govern marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships irrespective of religion.

The Bill was tabled by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel a week after a State-appointed panel submitted its final report on implementation of the UCC.

If the Bill is cleared, Gujarat will become the second State in the country after Uttarakhand to pass a UCC Bill. Uttarakhand in February 2024 passed a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill.

Titled the ‘Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026’, the proposed law will extend to the entire State and also apply to residents of Gujarat living outside its territorial limits.

But it will not apply to members of Scheduled Tribes and certain groups whose customary rights are protected under the Constitution. The Bill aims to create a uniform legal framework, as per its “Objects and Reasons” statement.

Among other things, it provides for registration of live-in relationships, as well as their termination through a formal declaration. The Bill also prohibits bigamy. A marriage will be considered valid under the Code only if neither party has a living spouse at the time of marriage, it says.