DEHRADUN: Nine days after Uttarakhand implemented the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on Jan 27, three live-in couples have applied for registration, with one successfully registered as of Tuesday, according to the official website.
Abhinav Shah, Dehradun’s nodal officer for UCC, told TOI, “Applications have been submitted and will be reviewed by the registrars. There are set guidelines for the duties of sub-registrars and registrars, and actions must be taken within the stipulated time frame.”
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Two of the live-in registration applications are said to be from the state capital. A source in Dehradun police said that after scrutiny by the registrar, a police team would verify documents, following a process similar to passport verification.
Couples who are already in such relationships have a month to register since the enactment of the law. Those who fail to do so may face up to six months in jail, a fine of up to Rs 25,000, or both. A delay in registration beyond the stipulated period of one month also incurs an additional Rs 1,000 fee.
The sub-registrar must review all documents within 15 days (or within three days in urgent cases), seek clarifications if needed, impose fines for late applications or violations, and take necessary action. Registrars must decide appeals against sub-registrar orders within 60 days and report violations of live-in or marriage laws to the police. If registrars fail to act within the deadline, the matter is automatically escalated to the registrar general, who must resolve the appeal and issue orders within 60 days.
Legal experts attribute the low number of registrations to “lack of awareness and an intrusive process,” leading many to adopt a “wait-and-watch” approach. “There is misinformation and several grey areas. Without clarification from the govt, people remain hesitant, which is why no one is voluntarily coming forward,” one of them said.
As of Tuesday evening, the UCC website recorded 359 marriage registrations and two registrations for wills.