In a recent session, the Uttarakhand High Court inquired if the state government is prepared to implement necessary amendments to the newly adopted Uniform Civil Code (UCC) concerning live-in relationships. The query was raised by a division bench consisting of Justices Manoj Tiwari and Ashish Naithani during a hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging specific UCC provisions.
The PIL targets the registration process for live-in relationships under the UCC, arguing that it infringes upon the privacy of couples by requiring detailed personal information that could be accessed by police for domiciliary visits. This, the petitioners contend, constitutes an unwarranted intrusion into private lives.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the state, attended the hearing via video-conferencing. The court, while addressing the concerns raised, emphasized that the police, as a state entity, should not engage in harassing individuals under the guise of implementing the UCC.
Another controversial provision under scrutiny is the requirement for women to declare their pregnancy status to terminate a live-in relationship, which has been criticized for violating women’s privacy and autonomy.
Previously, the High Court had granted the Centre and the state government six weeks to respond to similar pleas challenging the UCC. The current proceedings saw all related petitions being consolidated, with the next hearing scheduled for April 1.
