Madhya Pradesh Uniform Civil Code: Marriage, divorce, inheritance, live-in rules | Explained

Published 27 July 2026 · politics

The story so far: On July 21, 2026, the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed a Bill to bring a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the

The story so far: On July 21, 2026, the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed a Bill to bring a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the State through a voice vote amid uproar by the Opposition Congress. The Madhya Pradesh Uniform Civil Code 2026 Bill was introduced a day earlier on the first day of the Assembly’s Monsoon session after it was approved by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s Cabinet. On the lines of other Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled States Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam that have already implemented a UCC, the Madhya Pradesh Bill also carries provisions to regulate areas of personal law: marriage, divorce, succession and inheritance, and live-in relationships. As per the government, the Bill was prepared following a thorough study and guidance of the Uniform Civil Codes of the three States. It primarily proposes to criminalise practices such as polygamy and nikaha halala, while also making registration of live-in relationships mandatory. Similarly, it also exempts the large tribal population of the State, covered under Articles 342 and 366 (Clause 25) of the Constitution, whose customary laws are protected under the Constitution. For months, Mr. Yadav had been personally overseeing the work to prepare a Bill, a task which was entrusted to a si member committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai in April. What are the key on marriage and divorce? Marriage: The Bill makes it mandatory to register marriages and divorces and annulments across all communities within 60 days of the event, through government portals the M.P. e-Municipality Portal in urban areas and through the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), municipal body, or panchayat in rural areas. This is aimed at ensuring marital rights, alimony and various legal protections to women. While failing to register a marriage will not invalidate it, the registrar could impose a fine in case of absence of a valid reason. A marriage registration under the Madhya Pradesh Compulsory Registration of Marriages Rules, 2008, is also valid. The Bill completely prohibits practice of polygamy and mandates monogamy in all communities. A person may be married to only one living spouse at a time. It also bans the Muslim practice of nikaha halala, which requires a divorced woman to marry another man and obtain a divorce before remarrying her former husband, and makes it a punishable criminal offence.

Divorce: The Bill also says that a marriage can only be dissolved through legal process and on clear and legal grounds, while making oral practices such as triple talaq or informal panchayat decisions illegal. The Bill also provides special rights to women to seek a divorce on grounds such as the husband being a rape convict after the marriage or discovery of any existing spouse. A spouse can also seek divorce if the partner has converted his/her religion. Under the Bill, a woman can also seek the marriage to be declared void if her husband has gotten another woman pregnant. The legal age of marriage for men and women remains unchanged at 21 and 18, respectively. The Bill completely eliminates the word ‘illegitimate’ for children, saying that children born to married or unmarried parents, whether biological, adopted, through surrogacy or assisted reproductive technology (ART), will have equal legal status. What does it say on live-in relationships? The Bill makes it mandatory for couples cohabiting in Madhya Pradesh, whether they are State residents or not, to submit a ‘declaration of their live-in relationship’ with the local registrar within one month of starting to live together. A Madhya Pradesh resident who is in a live-in relationship outside the State can also give the declaration to the registrar of their native place. Under the Bill, if either partner is under 21 years of age, information about the start and end of the live-in relationship will be sent to their parents or guardians. The registrar will also send this record to the local police station. The Bill also says that children born out of a live-in relationship will be considered legitimate and will receive full inheritance. If the male partner abandons the woman, the UCC provides her a right to claim maintenance through a competent court, just as a legal wife. The Bill also makes strict provisions for failing to register the relationship within a month and says that it can result in up to three months’ imprisonment or a fine of ₹10,000. Providing false information can result in up to three months’ imprisonment and a fine of ₹25,000.