Uttarakhand police unable to enforce UCC due to delay in software update

More than a year after the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was implemented in Uttarakhand in January 2025, the State police have been unable to register cases under relevant sections of the law as the centralised online platform to file FIRs, chargesheets, and investigation reports is awaiting a software update.

All police stations in the country are linked through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), which was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs with the aim of digitising police station records, tracking crimes and criminals in real-time, and centralising data across the country for faster investigation, improved decision-making, and enhanced public services such as e-filing of complaints.

The issue came to light when Shaheen, a resident of Haridwar, approached the Buggawala police station to file a complaint against her husband and in-laws. She alleged that she was subjected to physical violence and mental harassment soon after marriage over dowry demands.

She claimed that her husband gave her triple talaq and that when she asked him to reconsider the decision, he told her to first undergo halala. The practice involves a divorced Muslim woman marrying another man, consummating the marriage, and then divorcing him to remarry her first husband.

Based on the complaint, the police registered an FIR on April 4 under relevant provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

On Sections 30 and 32 of the UCC that penalise triple talaq and halala not being invoked in the case, a senior police officer said provisions of the law have not yet been uploaded on the CCTNS.

“A request for addition of the UCC sections has to be sent to the Union Home Department from the State Home Department. I cannot comment on whether the State Home Department has sent the request to the Centre or if the Central authorities are responsible for the delay [in updating the database],” the officer said.

Despite repeated attempts, Uttarakhand DGP Deepam Seth could not be contacted for comment on the matter.

Criticising the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government, State Congress vice president and All India Congress Committee member Suryakant Dhasmana said it is surprising that a law being promoted politically across the country has not been fully implemented in Uttarakhand.

He also took a dig at Mr. Dhami for celebrating one year of the UCC’s implementation without being aware of the ground reality.

“This delay shows that the BJP is not serious about the UCC or delivering justice to any community or gender. This law is nothing but an overhyped marriage registration platform. All that this party is interested in is winning elections by dividing people,” Mr. Dhasmana said..