The 201-page bill, tabled by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, will apply to all residents except Scheduled Tribes and groups with protected customary rights.
Gujarat on Tuesday became the second state after Uttarakhand to enact a Uniform Civil Code, passing the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026, which seeks to govern personal civil matters such as marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships across religions. The law will apply to all residents of the state—including those living outside Gujarat—while excluding Scheduled Tribes and groups whose customary rights are constitutionally protected.
Legislation moves quickly after panel report
The 201-page Bill was tabled in the state legislative assembly by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, just a week after a state-appointed panel submitted its final report on the need for and contours of implementing a Uniform Civil Code in the state. The move has triggered sharp debate over issues of equality and timing, particularly with local body polls due later this year and Assembly elections scheduled for 2027.
“Today’s development will be etched in golden letters in Gujarat’s history,” Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi said, adding that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is aimed at ensuring a common set of laws for “all sisters, daughters and mothers” in the state. “The UCC will ensure similar laws for everyone. It is not meant for any one religion, but will provide equal footing for all Indians,” he told mediapersons.
Opposition protests and concerns
However, the passage of the Bill was not smooth. While the Congress opposed the move and called it anti-minority, the Bill had to be passed by a majority voice vote after debates extended beyond six hours. Congress MLA Imran Khedawala told mediapersons that he would lead protests against the Bill in the coming days. On Tuesday, before the UCC Bill was taken up for debate in the Gujarat Assembly, protests erupted in the walled-city area of Ahmedabad, where police quickly detained about 25 persons protesting under the banner of SDPI, who claimed that the Bill was against religious minorities living in the state and violated their respective freedoms. Municipal corporators and members of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) also staged a protest in Ahmedabad city.
Key provisions of the UCC
The Bill seeks to provide a uniform legal framework for civil matters irrespective of religion, caste, creed or gender, in line with the directive under Article 44 of the Constitution of India, which calls for a Uniform Civil Code. Among key provisions, the Code standardises rules on marriage and divorce by prescribing uniform grounds for dissolution, including in cases of a spouse’s sexual offences, and enforces monogamy by making remarriage during the subsistence of a marriage punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023. It also introduces a common framework for succession and related civil matters, replacing differing personal law practices with a single legal structure.
Regulation of live-in relationships
The UCC Bill also introduces a regulatory framework for live-in relationships, requiring partners to submit a declaration to a registrar. Residents of Gujarat in such relationships outside the state may also register them, and children born out of these relationships will be recognised as legitimate. The government said the legislation aims to uphold principles of secularism, gender justice and inclusivity, while advancing social reform and strengthening societal unity.
Expert Panel recommends UCC
The state government had constituted a committee chaired by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai to examine the need for such a law. The panel reviewed existing personal laws, judicial precedents and practices before recommending adoption of the Code.
Published on March 24, 2026
