Uttarakhand UCC Bill: Rs 25,000 Fine, Up To Six Months Jail For Failure To Register Live-In Relationship

The Uttarakhand UCC bill, which has been tabled in state Assembly today (6 February), reportedly proposes that individuals in, or planning to enter, live-in relationships in Uttarakhand must register themselves with district officials once the legislation becomes law.

Further, parental consent will required for registration of those below the age of 21 who wish to live together.

Registration is mandatory even for Uttarakhand residents in live-in relationships outside the state.

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However, registration is not applicable in cases deemed against "public policy and morality", involving minors, married individuals, or those in another relationship, or where consent is obtained through "coercion, fraud, or misrepresentation (with regard to identity)".

The state is preparing a website for live-in relationship declarations, which will be scrutinised by the District Registrar through a "summary inquiry", NDTV reported citing a senior official.

This inquiry may involve summoning the partners or others. Rejected applications will be explained in writing by the Registrar.

Termination of registered live-in relationships will require a formal written statement in a "prescribed format" that can invite police investigation if the Registrar feels reasons for the relationship ending are "incorrect" or "suspicious". Parents or guardians of those under 21 will be notified.

Non-compliance with the registration process, including delays or providing false information, can result in penalties ranging from jail terms to fines.

Anyone who fails to register a live-in relationship will face a maximum of six months in jail, be fined Rs 25,000, or both. Even a delay in registration, by as little as a month, will trigger a jail term of up to three months, a fine of Rs 10,000, or both.

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