The Gujarat government has introduced a landmark bill in the state assembly, aiming to replace religion-specific personal laws with a Uniform Civil Code. The bill, titled the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026, seeks to bring uniformity, gender justice, and simplification to personal laws across the state.
The bill makes live-in registration mandatory for all couples residing in Gujarat, with consequences for non-registration, false declarations, and prohibited arrangements. It also requires the Registrar to intimate the local police station upon receiving a statement of live-in relationship.
The bill applies to the entire state of Gujarat, as well as to residents of the state living anywhere in India or abroad who meet the defined criteria of residency.
Couples who do not register within one month of entering a live-in relationship face imprisonment of up to three months or a fine of up to ₹10,000 or both.
The bill also introduces a framework for succession that applies to all residents regardless of religion, placing spouses, children, and parents as the first class of heirs.
The bill will now be taken up for debate in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, and if passed, it will come into force on a date to be notified by the state government.
