"Uttarakhand UCC Draft: Ban Polygamy, Exempt Tribals, and Fix Marriage Age"

A five-member expert committee has submitted a draft of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, recommending the exemption of tribal communities, prioritizing women’s equality, banning polygamy, and setting a uniform marriage age across religions. The draft also suggests making halala, iddat, and triple talaq punishable offenses, and uniform adoption rights under the Juvenile Justice Act. The UCC Bill is expected to be tabled in the Uttarakhand Assembly, with the government aiming for it to serve as a model for other states. The committee received over 2.3 lakh public suggestions and held 43 public meetings before submitting the report.