Gujarat becomes the second state after Uttarakhand to receive presidential assent for a Uniform Civil Code; Scheduled Tribes are exemptGandhinagar, October 2, 2026: President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026, clearing a key constitutional step towards implementing a common legal framework for personal matters in the state. The President’s official records list the date of assent as September 17, 2026. <Cite refs={["turn324084search0","turn324084search12"]}/>The Gujarat Assembly passed the Bill on March 24, 2026. Gujarat is now the second state after Uttarakhand to secure presidential assent for a state-level Uniform Civil Code. The legislation covers matters including marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships, irrespective of religion, subject to the exemptions specified in the law. <Cite refs={["turn324084search6","turn324084search10"]}/>What Will Change Under the UCC?The legislation establishes common provisions for several personal and family matters. Key provisions include:Marriage registration: Registration of marriages is prescribed under the new framework. The Bill also provides for procedures relating to marriages solemnised before the law comes into force.One-spouse rule: The legislation prohibits a person from marrying again while their existing spouse is alive.Divorce: Common legal procedures are prescribed for divorce and related matters.Live-in relationships: Such relationships are subject to registration requirements and prescribed procedures.Inheritance and succession: The law sets out common rules governing inheritance, including rights relating to spouses, children and parents when a person dies without leaving a will.Children’s rights: Provisions address the legal rights of children in circumstances including live-in relationships, adoption and surrogacy.The precise application of these provisions will depend on the enacted text and the applicable rules. <Cite refs={["turn324084search24","turn324084search10","turn324084search11"]}/>Scheduled Tribes ExemptedThe UCC provisions do not apply to members of Scheduled Tribes, in accordance with the exemption specified in the legislation. The Bill also provides protection for certain customary rights. <Cite refs={["turn324084search24","turn324084search10"]}/>How Gujarat Reached This StageThe state’s UCC initiative began with discussions in 2022. In February 2024, the Gujarat government formed a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to examine the need for a Uniform Civil Code and recommend its framework.After the committee submitted its report in March 2026, the Bill was introduced in the state Assembly and passed on March 24. It was subsequently referred for presidential consideration. <Cite refs={["turn324084search2","turn324084search6"]}/>The President’s assent completes an important stage in the legislative process. The law’s commencement and implementation are governed by the relevant provisions and state notifications; the Bill provides for the state government to appoint the commencement date through a Gazette notification. <Cite refs={["turn324084search24","turn324084search0"]}/>
