Days after Uttarakhand became the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the state government issued a warning against filing false complaints under the new law.
In a statement released Thursday, officials announced that individuals who submit false complaints would face fines, which will be recovered through land revenue collection methods.
This measure aims to prevent the misuse of the law by individuals who may file false complaints to obstruct or disrupt the application process. The Home Department of Uttarakhand clarified that the rules under the UCC have been designed to ensure smooth and dispute-free applications and registrations.
According to Chapter 6, Rule 20 (Subsection 02) of the UCC regulations, a person found submitting a false complaint will first receive a warning. If the offense is repeated, the individual will be fined Rs 5,000.
A third instance of filing a false complaint will result in a Rs 10,000 fine. The complainant is required to pay the fine online within 45 days. Should they fail to do so, the amount will be recovered through the office of the tehsil officer.
Also Read: U'khand UCC: Is it about uniformity or targeting Muslims?
The state government emphasised that this provision has been put in place to prevent harassment through baseless complaints, safeguarding the integrity of the UCC's implementation.
On January 27, Uttarakhand became the first state in Independent India to implement the UCC, which aims to provide equal laws for all citizens, irrespective of their religion, and to standardise personal laws related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and property.
The mandatory registration of live-in relationships, a key aspect of the UCC, has drawn criticism for potentially infringing on privacy rights. However, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami defended the provision, explaining that it would help prevent tragic incidents like the murder of Shraddha Walkar by her live-in partner, Aftab.
The Uniform Civil Code seeks to establish a unified legal framework across all communities for marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and maintenance. While India already has a common criminal code for all citizens, the country has not had a uniform set of civil laws until now.
Also Read: Gujarat govt forms panel to assess need for UCC
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