Uttarakhand is set to witness the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on January 27, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in Dehradun. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will also launch the UCC portal on the same day. Significantly, this will make Uttarakhand the first state after Independence to implement UCC, Chief Minister’s secretary Shailesh Bagoli said on Saturday.
The UCC portal will be launched at 12:30 pm on January 27 at the Secretariat. Its implementation was a major commitment of the BJP in the run-up to the 2022 Assembly polls which saw the party storm to power for a second consecutive term.
Earlier a workshop on the Uniform Civil Code was held at the Uttarakhand police headquarters, where representatives of various communities participated actively in the discussions by asking questions about the points related to their social rights after the code's implementation.
The presenters and legal experts answered their questions making it clear that an attempt has been made to bring uniformity in the social rights of all religions and communities by establishing harmony through the code. This code will establish coordination and uniformity among people and different religions and communities, they said.
UCC makes special provision for defence personnel
The Uniform Civil Code makes a special provision for defence personnel called "privileged will" which can be made both in writing or by word of mouth. Any soldier or air force personnel engaged in an expedition or actual warfare or a mariner at sea can make a privileged will for which rules have been kept flexible, an official familiar with the provisions of the UCC said.
Privileged wills may be in writing or may be made by word of mouth, he said. A privileged will be written wholly by the testator with his or her own hand and will not need to be signed or attested, the official said.
Those entitled to a privileged will can make it even by word of mouth by declaring their intentions to do so in the presence of two witnesses. A will made by word of mouth shall be null at the expiration of one month after the testator, being still alive, has ceased to be entitled to make a privileged will, the official said.
The objective of this provision is to help individuals in high risk situations to document their desires as to what should be done with their estate after their death, the official said, requesting anonymity.
(With PTI nputs)