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 centralized online platform for filing FIRs, chargesheets and investigation reports is awaiting a software update.

All police stations in the country are interconnected through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs, with the aim of digitizing police station records, real-time tracking of crimes and criminals and centralizing data across the country for improved public services such as faster investigation, improved decision-making process and emailing of complaints.

The issue came to light when Shaheen, a resident of Haridwar, approached Buggawala police station to lodge a complaint against her husband and mother-in-law. She claimed that she was subjected to physical violence and mental abuse due to dowry demands immediately after marriage.

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

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

About UCC Articles 30 and 32, which penalize triple talaq and punishment. halala A senior police officer, who was not consulted in the case, said the provisions of the law have not yet been imposed on the CCTNS.

“The request for inclusion of UCC sections has to be sent from the Ministry of External Affairs to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. I cannot comment on whether the Ministry of External Affairs has sent this request to the Center or whether the Central authorities are responsible for the delay.” [in updating the database]”said the officer.

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

Criticizing the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government, State Congress vice-president and All India Congress Committee member Suryakant Dhasmana said it was surprising that a law that was politically supported across the country was not fully implemented in Uttarakhand.

He also chided Mr. Dhami for celebrating the first anniversary of the implementation of the UCC without being aware of the ground reality.

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