Ahmedabad: President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026, paving the way for the implementation of a common legal framework governing personal civil matters, including marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and live-in relationships in the state, officials said.
According to state government sources, the President approved the legislation on September 17, while it was published in the extraordinary gazette on October 1. The state government will now decide the date from which the law will come into force, an official said.
The Gujarat Assembly had passed the Bill during its budget session in March following a nearly eight-hour debate. The legislation was adopted by a majority vote.
Largely modelled on Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code, the Gujarat law seeks to establish common provisions governing various personal civil matters for residents of the state. It also introduces provisions to recognise and regulate live-in relationships, alongside changes to existing laws relating to marriage, divorce and inheritance.
The legislation was proposed after a committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai submitted a report examining the feasibility and framework for implementing a Uniform Civil Code in Gujarat.
However, the law exempts members of Scheduled Tribes and persons or groups whose customary rights are protected under Part XXI of the Constitution.
With the President’s assent, the legislation has cleared a key constitutional step towards becoming operational. Its implementation date will be notified separately by the Gujarat government.
