What the Rajasthan Uniform Civil Code Bill Would Change

The Rajasthan Cabinet approved the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026 on 13 August, clearing a proposal that would create common rules for marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and live-in relationships in the state. The Bill is expected to be introduced in the next session of the Rajasthan Assembly.

Under the proposed law, every marriage solemnised after the rules come into force would have to be registered within 60 days. A late or missed registration would not invalidate the marriage, but it would attract a fine of up to ₹10,000 — rising to ₹25,000 if a person still fails to register after receiving a notice. Government employees would also have to add a marriage registration certificate to their service documents.

The Bill prohibits polygamy and says live-in relationships must be registered, or their start and end communicated in writing, so that the rights of both partners are protected. Registrars would have to issue a certificate or a written rejection within 15 days, with an appeal window of 30 days to the Registrar General and resolution within 60 days.

The law would not apply to Scheduled Tribes and classes that have constitutionally protected customary rights, and religious communities would remain free to solemnise marriages according to their own customs — with registration being the mandatory part. The text also provides for equal inheritance rights for sons and daughters and sets out grounds on which a court may declare a marriage void.

Advertisement

Why Rajasthan Is Following the UCC Playbook and What Could Slow It Down

A State-Level Push Along the UCC Template

Rajasthan is the fifth state to move on a Uniform Civil Code, joining Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam. The drafting committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, studied the laws in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Assam before submitting its report. That sequencing matters: the Rajasthan text is being presented as a refined version of provisions already tested at the state level, rather than an untested national switch.

Registration Power vs. Personal Custom

The key compromise in the Bill is that religious communities retain the freedom to solemnise marriages under their own customs, but registration with the state becomes mandatory. That is designed to create a uniform administrative record without directly banning religious ceremonies. The polygamy ban, live-in registration and equal succession rights are the parts most likely to be challenged as a departure from existing personal laws.

The Administrative Deadline Structure

The Bill creates a defined timeline: registrars must issue a certificate or reject an application in writing within 15 days; a rejection can be appealed within 30 days to the Registrar General, who must resolve it within 60 days. Those deadlines are intended to prevent indefinite silence from registration offices. The practical effect will depend on the capacity of local registration infrastructure, especially in rural districts.

Where Resistance Is Likely

The exemption for Scheduled Tribes keeps the law away from communities whose customary rights are constitutionally protected — a practical acknowledgment that a fully uniform code could face immediate legal and political resistance in Rajasthan. Live-in registration tends to attract privacy and social-policy objections, and the fine structure gives registrars real enforcement power, including fines against officials who delay the process. Whether the Bill becomes law depends on the Assembly. Until then, the Cabinet approval is a strong signal of legislative intent but not a change in legal obligations.

What Couples, Live-in Partners and Government Employees Should Anticipate

  • Couples marrying after the law takes effect should keep the 60-day registration deadline in mind: a late filing can lead to a fine of up to ₹10,000, and up to ₹25,000 after a formal notice.
  • Live-in partners in Rajasthan would need to register the start and end of the relationship, or provide written intimation, once the provision becomes enforceable.
  • Government employees should be prepared to add a marriage registration certificate to their service records if the Bill passes in its current form.
  • People from Scheduled Tribes and classes should note the proposed exemption, but confirm whether it applies to them because the final text may differ.
  • Since the Cabinet approval is not enactment, no legal duty exists yet; the decisive step will be the Rajasthan Assembly debate and any amendments.