Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said protection of women who choose to cohabitate is necessary for the government’s decision to legalize on-site relations under the state’s Unified Civil Code (UCC).
Speaking about the workshop on effective UCC implementation, Dhami acknowledged that, personally, he did not endorse the on-site arrangements. “Real-time relationships have never been part of our culture,” he said. “But the reality today is that without legal recognition, many women are vulnerable to abuse and violence.”
The Chief Minister cites two high-profile crimes, referring to the 2022 murder of Shraddha Walker, whose body was dismembered by her live partner Aftab, and recently in Sitarganj, where a woman was allegedly beheaded by her cohabiting partner. “In both cases, families have no formal records of these relationships and cannot intervene,” he said. “By bringing real-time relationships to the UCC, we aim to ensure that no 'monsters' can prey on our daughters without punishment.”
Dhami explained that Uttarakhand law did not include provisions for real-time partnerships before the UCC Formation Act (UCC). He added: “Parents have no legal means to track or raise their children.
In addition to cohabitation, the Chief Minister highlighted the broader UCC reforms, including the abolition of social practices such as Harala, Idat, Three Tarak, Three Tarak, Child Marriage and Polygamy. “The unified Civil Code is a constitutional measure that mitigates differences based on caste, religion and gender,” he said. “It has ushered in an era of judicial equality and women’s empowerment in Uttarakhand.”
Dami further asserted that the UCC would guarantee equal rights to women’s estate and accelerate thousands of cases yet to be tried in the state’s courts. “Our aim is to build a society where no women are protected by outdated customs or legal gaps,” he concluded.
