Gujarat's Uniform Civil Code Gets the President's Assent: What It Means and How the Process Works
The President of India has given her assent (formal approval) to the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026. The assent was given on 17 September 2026 and was made public in the Gujarat Government Gazette on 1 October 2026.
The Gujarat Legislative Assembly had passed the Bill on 24 March 2026, after a debate of more than seven hours. The draft was prepared by a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai, set up in February 2025.
Gujarat is now the second state after Uttarakhand to have its own comprehensive Uniform Civil Code (UCC): one common set of rules on marriage, divorce, inheritance and live-in relationships for all residents, whatever their religion.
Key features: compulsory registration of marriages (within 60 days) and of live-in relationships; a ban on polygamy (having more than one spouse at the same time); divorce only through a court; and equal inheritance rights for sons and daughters.
Not registering a live-in relationship can lead to up to three months in jail or a fine of up to ₹10,000. If a partner is below 21, the Registrar must inform the parents or guardians.
Members of Scheduled Tribes are kept outside the law. The Act will actually start working only after the state government notifies its rules.
Uniform Civil Code (Article 44): One Civil Law for All Citizens
A Uniform Civil Code (UCC) means one common set of family laws for every citizen, whatever their religion. Family laws cover marriage, divorce, maintenance (money support after separation), adoption, guardianship of children and inheritance (who gets a person's property after death). Today, in most of India, these matters are decided by personal laws: separate laws for Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis and others. Article 44 of the Constitution asks the State to try to bring in a UCC for the whole country.
Gujarat used its power over Concurrent List subjects to pass its own UCC. Because the code clashes with central personal laws, it had to be reserved for the President, and her assent now lets it prevail inside Gujarat. With this, Gujarat joins Uttarakhand in turning the Article 44 goal into an actual state law.
Governor's Assent to State Bills: Articles 200 and 201
A Bill passed by a state's Legislative Assembly does not become a law on its own. It must first be signed (given "assent") by the Governor. Article 200 of the Constitution tells the Governor what choices he or she has. One choice is to send the Bill to the President, and Article 201 tells the President what to do with such a "reserved" Bill. Together, these two articles decide how every state law is born.
Gujarat's UCC deals with marriage, divorce and succession, which are Concurrent List subjects already covered by central laws. So the Governor reserved the Bill for the President under Article 200, and the President's assent under Article 201 now lets it prevail in Gujarat under Article 254(2), even where it differs from central personal laws.
- Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026: passed by the Assembly on 24 March 2026
- President's assent: 17 September 2026; published in the Gujarat Government Gazette Extraordinary on 1 October 2026
- Drafting committee: chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai, formed February 2025 (she also chaired Uttarakhand's UCC committee)
- Gujarat is the second state after Uttarakhand (UCC in force from 27 January 2025) to enact a comprehensive UCC
- Marriage registration: compulsory within 60 days
- Live-in relationships: compulsory registration; non-registration can lead to up to 3 months' jail or a ₹10,000 fine; parents informed if a partner is under 21
- Polygamy prohibited; divorce only through a court; equal inheritance rights for sons and daughters
- Scheduled Tribes are exempt
- The law takes effect once the state government notifies its rules