In a significant policy change, the Uttarakhand Cabinet has approved amendments to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) regulations, allowing citizens of Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet residing in the state to register marriages under UCC without needing an Aadhaar card.
Previously, the online UCC registration process mandated submission of Aadhaar, which posed difficulties for many non-Indian residents. Under the new rules, Nepali and Bhutanese citizens can now use their citizenship certificates or valid documents issued by their respective missions in India—if they have resided in Uttarakhand for at least 182 days. Tibetans will be permitted to register marriages using a certificate issued by the Foreigners Registration Officer.
Home Secretary Shailesh Bagauli explained that the change was essential to include cross-border residents who legally marry Uttarakhand residents but lacked Aadhaar. He noted that in border districts such as Pithoragarh and Champawat, the amendment would provide legal relief to many couples.
The Cabinet decision also touched upon other reforms, including easing building restrictions in Raipur’s “freeze zone” near the proposed state legislature, updating recruitment rules in the Women & Child Development Department, and mandating that state public sector undertakings contribute 15 per cent of post-tax profits to the state exchequer.
Since UCC came into force in Uttarakhand in January 2025, over 4.1 lakh marriages have been registered under the code. The new amendment underscores the state government’s aim to make UCC more inclusive while upholding its broader objectives of uniformity, gender equality and legal clarity.
