The Uttarakhand High Court has stepped into the debate surrounding the recently implemented Uniform Civil Code (UCC), issuing notices to the Central and State governments in response to multiple legal challenges against it.
A bench led by Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Ashish Naithani has clubbed various petitions opposing the UCC and granted the authorities six weeks to present their responses before the court.
One of the key petitions, filed by Almasuddin Siddiqui and Ikram, argues that the UCC infringes upon fundamental rights enshrined in Articles 14, 19, 21, and 25 of the Constitution. The petitioners claim the Code disrupts essential religious practices, particularly for the Muslim community.
Another plea, spearheaded by Advocate Aarushi Gupta, questions the constitutionality of specific provisions concerning marriage registration, live-in relationships, and their legal implications. Several sections of the UCC 2025 have been singled out as problematic, with claims that they contradict constitutional guarantees.
Advocate Kartikey Hari Gupta, representing the petitioners, contended that Islamic religious laws are integral to the faith and that the UCC’s provisions contradict Quranic teachings. The argument extends to the claim that the state’s authority does not extend to matters with extra-territorial implications under Article 245.
A major point of contention is the mandatory registration of live-in relationships and potential penalties for non-compliance, which petitioners argue encroach upon the fundamental Right to Privacy.
The High Court has scheduled the matter for further deliberation after six weeks, as the legal battle over the UCC takes center stage.