In a significant step toward legal reform, the Uttarakhand Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, has approved the manual for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The approval came during a Cabinet meeting held at the state secretariat on Monday. The dates for the rollout of the UCC will be announced soon.

This decision follows partial amendments made to the rules previously drafted for the UCC’s implementation. The amendments were thoroughly examined and finalised with input from the Law Department, with the Cabinet’s discussion focusing on the smooth execution of the law.

Post-meeting, Chief Minister Dhami expressed his satisfaction with the progress, underlining the government’s commitment to fulfilling a key electoral promise. “We had assured the people of Uttarakhand during the 2022 elections that the UCC would be implemented promptly once our government came to power. With the draft committee’s work complete, we are now closer to fulfilling that promise,” Dhami stated.

Uttarakhand’s implementation of the UCC will make it the first state in India to adopt a comprehensive civil law framework for all religious communities. The UCC aims to standardize laws in areas such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and maintenance. While India already has a Uniform Criminal Code, a unified civil law has not existed until now.

The UCC will explicitly exclude tribal communities and prohibit practices such as ‘halala’, ‘iddat’, and ‘talaq’, which are part of Muslim Personal Law. The law itself consists of 392 sections and is divided into seven schedules. The comprehensive 750-page draft, which spans four volumes, was prepared by a five-member expert committee formed in June 2022 to examine the feasibility of introducing the UCC in Uttarakhand.

Led by Retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, the committee submitted the final draft to the state government on February 2, 2024. The draft received approval from the state Cabinet on February 4, followed by ratification by the state Assembly during a special session. Governor Lt. Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) gave the green light on February 28, marking the UCC’s passage into law, a move hailed as a historic milestone in Indian legal history.

While the implementation dates are yet to be finalized, the Cabinet’s approval signals that Uttarakhand is poised to set a significant legal precedent in India.

In a heartwarming and private ceremony, former Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra has revealed his marriage to Himani Mor, a rising tennis star. The announcement came on Sunday via a social media post from Chopra himself, where he shared intimate moments from the wedding, held in Himachal Pradesh with just 40-50 close family and friends in attendance.

Neeraj, a two-time Olympic medallist, shared his gratitude on social media, stating, “Grateful for every blessing that brought us to this moment together. Bound by love, happily ever after.” His fans responded with warm wishes as the couple embarks on their new journey together. Neeraj also asked for support and blessings as they start this new chapter.

Who is Himani Mor?

Himani Mor, 25, hails from Sonipat, Haryana, and has made her name as a dedicated tennis player. She began her tennis journey at a young age and achieved notable success on both national and international stages. One of her major achievements includes winning a gold medal at the World Junior Tennis Championship in Malaysia in 2016. Her school, Little Angels School, laid the foundation for her love for sports.

Currently, Himani is pursuing a Master’s degree in Sports Management at Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire, USA. She has a background in Political Science and Physical Education, having completed her undergraduate degree at Delhi’s prestigious Miranda House.

Her passion for tennis has not gone unnoticed in India. Mor has competed at national events, representing Delhi University, and participated in the 2017 World University Games in Taipei. According to the All India Tennis Association (AITA), her career best national rankings were 42 in singles and 27 in doubles in 2018. Additionally, she is also involved with Amherst College, Massachusetts, where she serves as an assistant coach for the women’s tennis team.

Family and privacy

The couple’s wedding has kept a low profile, with details only coming from Neeraj’s paternal uncle, Bhim Chopra, who lives in Khandra near Panipat. Bhim confirmed that the wedding took place in India, but the specific location was kept under wraps. He further mentioned that Neeraj and Himani are now on their honeymoon, although their travel destinations remain private.

While Neeraj’s sporting achievements have made him a household name globally, this marriage marks a new personal milestone for the Olympic champion. As fans continue to celebrate his success on the field, Neeraj and Himani’s new life together is already beginning to capture hearts.

In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of India has granted interim relief to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by staying the defamation proceedings against him in a Jharkhand court. The case, which dates back to 2018, revolves around allegedly derogatory remarks made by Gandhi about Union Minister Amit Shah, who was then serving as the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Gandhi seeking to quash the defamation case. The court has issued notices to both the Jharkhand government and Naveen Jha, a BJP worker who had filed the complaint, directing them to submit their responses within four weeks.

In his arguments, Senior Advocate Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Rahul Gandhi, pointed out previous rulings where it was made clear that only the aggrieved party can file a criminal defamation complaint. Singhvi argued that the complaint, in this case, had been filed by a proxy third party and thus should not be entertained.

The defamation case against Gandhi had been under trial in the MP/MLA court in Chaibasa, Jharkhand. In February of the previous year, the lower court had issued a non-bailable warrant for his appearance after he failed to attend hearings. Despite Gandhi’s request for exemption from physical appearance, the court had refused to provide relief, prompting him to approach the Jharkhand High Court. However, the high court had declined to interfere in the matter, leaving Gandhi with no option but to challenge the case in the Supreme Court.

The top court’s intervention has now provided a temporary reprieve to Gandhi, with the matter scheduled to be taken up for further hearing in six weeks. This development marks an important chapter in the ongoing legal battle involving the Congress leader and the BJP.

As the case progresses, the outcome could have significant implications not only for Rahul Gandhi but also for the broader political landscape in the country, as defamation lawsuits continue to be a contentious issue in Indian politics.