The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approves a draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill for presentation in the State Assembly, according to multiple reports. The draft legislation aims to standardize certain personal-law practices across communities. It proposes to ban polygamy and prohibit multiple marriages. The bill also addresses live-in relationships by requiring registration; non-registration is reported to attract a jail term. In addition, the draft seeks to criminalize and punish practices such as “nikah halala,” which is commonly associated with certain divorce and remarriage rules described in some Muslim personal-law contexts.
Some reporting also notes that the bill includes an exemption for Adivasis, indicating a carve-out from at least parts of the proposed uniform framework. Overall, the draft combines provisions on marriage-related practices and relationship registration with specific prohibitions and penalties, and it moves the process forward toward debate and possible amendment in the Assembly before any final enactment.
