MP govt prepares to implement UCC:Live-in couples may have to register their relationships; will 21% tribal population be excluded from the law?

The Madhya Pradesh government has started preparations to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Under this, major changes may occur in rules related to marriage, divorce, property, and live-in relationships. The government has approved the formation of a committee to prepare the draft. The responsibility for this may be given to former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai. The proposed rules may be similar to the Uttarakhand and Gujarat models. In this, registration of live-in relationships may be made mandatory, meaning couples living together will have to register their information with the registrar. Children born from live-in relationships will get legal rights and women will also have the right to claim maintenance. However, implementing this in MP is not considered easy. The state has approximately 21% tribal population, who have their own traditions. In such a situation, the big question is whether they will be kept outside the UCC. Additionally, privacy, social acceptability, and legal complexities regarding live-in registration can also become major challenges. Experts believe that the government will have to implement this law by maintaining a balance. 1. 21% of the population in MP belongs to ST Madhya Pradesh is a tribal-dominated state. Approximately 21% of the population belongs to Scheduled Tribes. More than 46 tribes live with their traditions. In Uttarakhand, this figure is 2.9% and in Gujarat it is around 15%. These states have kept tribal communities outside the UCC under constitutional rights. In such a situation, the question is whether Madhya Pradesh will also do the same. According to experts, this issue is linked to the tribal population and electoral impact. Expert Opinion: Balance Necessary in Implementing UCC in MP According to senior journalist NK Singh, UCC has been part of BJP’s ideology for a long time. It has been a major issue since the Jana Sangh era. In Madhya Pradesh, every fifth voter is from the tribal community, who have their own rules and customs. In such a situation, maintaining balance will not be easy. Especially when the hold in tribal areas has been weak. He says that the government will have to exercise caution in implementing UCC. If all communities are not included, then questions may be raised about its constitutional validity. Elections in two years, therefore tribals may be kept out According to Senior Advocate Wahid Khan, including tribal communities in UCC will be challenging, therefore a balanced approach may be adopted. He believes that the government will try to connect them to the mainstream without hurting sentiments. According to Senior Advocate Sudhir Dubey, elections are due in MP in two years, therefore tribals may be kept out. However, according to him, this law can be in the interest of the state even without including them. 2. Live-in Relationship Registration Issue After the implementation of UCC in Madhya Pradesh, registration of live-in relationships may become mandatory. Couples living together with mutual consent will have to register with the nearest registrar. What Could Be the Provisions Live-in Relationship Registration: Key Challenges Questions on Uttarakhand Model: According to data, despite mandatory registration, only 70 registrations occurred in one year and two were cancelled. There is no public example of the registrar taking suo motu cognizance and sending notices. Detailed official data from the government is also not available. This raises questions about implementation. Privacy Concerns: These provisions carry the risk of private information becoming public. Parental consent will be required for couples under 21 years of age and information may reach local administration. According to media reports, a petition has been filed in the High Court challenging the validity of this provision. Experts suggest that counseling could be adopted as an option in case of family objections. Legal Complexities: Many people in Uttarakhand have described the live-in registration process as complicated. According to media reports, some couples have considered it interference, while according to lawyers, many young people have expressed concerns about privacy. Social Acceptability: According to family counselor Shail Awasthi, live-in relationships have not yet received widespread acceptance in society. Due to this, many young people hide it. Couples experience insecurity due to family and social pressure. Indian society does not accord it the same recognition as marriage.