The Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday passed the Madhya Pradesh Uniform Civil Code (UCC), 2026, Bill amid protests from the Opposition.
The legislation, introduced on the second day of the monsoon session on Monday, creates a common civil law governing marriage, divorce, inheritance and live-in relationships, while exempting Scheduled Tribes covered under Articles 342 and 366(25) of the Constitution. It bans polygamy, criminalises practices such as triple talaq and nikah halala, mandates registration of marriages, divorces and live-in relationships, and grants equal inheritance rights irrespective of gender.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, replying to the debate, described the legislation as a landmark reform. “Golden history is being written in this Assembly today,” he said, adding that the law would “criminalise triple talaq and halala, prohibit polygamy, make registration of marriage and divorce mandatory and give equal inheritance rights to all children”.
Calling the legislation a fulfilment of the Constitution’s vision under Article 44, Yadav said, “The fundamental spirit of the UCC is ‘Equality for All, Respect for All’. It is not just our sentiment but the sentiment of the entire country. Everyone, especially women, should have their rights.”
Launching a sharp attack on the Congress, the Chief Minister alleged that the Opposition was opposing the legislation only for “Muslim appeasement”.
“If Congressmen have even a little respect for Babasaheb Ambedkar, they should wash away their sins by supporting the UCC,” he said, adding, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave rights to Muslim women by abolishing triple talaq. We are implementing the UCC so that Amar, Akbar, Anthony, Robin and Rahim all live under the same law.”
Yadav also defended the exclusion of Scheduled Tribes from the legislation. “The tribal community has been excluded in accordance with constitutional provisions. We have respected their constitutional safeguards and traditional rights,” he said.
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Explaining provisions of the law, Yadav said, “Duties and rules are the same for everyone. The minimum age for marriage will be 21 years for men and 18 years for women. Marriage registration will be mandatory. Only those who have married once will be allowed to live in Madhya Pradesh. Only after divorce will a person be able to live with a second life partner. No one will be able to arbitrarily say ‘talaq, talaq, talaq’. Registration will also be required for live-in relationships.”
He added that the UCC “is a great opportunity to provide equal opportunities and justice to people from all walks of life” and said, “This is a Bill that strengthens national unity, integrity, women’s respect and social harmony.”
‘Incosistencies’
Earlier in the debate, senior Congress MLA Arif Masood opposed the legislation and urged Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar to send it to a Select Committee. “This Bill contains many inconsistencies,” Masood said. “The Union government itself has not implemented a Uniform Civil Code. The matter has remained pending before the Law Commission for three years.”
Masood argued that the legislation infringed constitutional protections. “The Bill violates the fundamental rights relating to culture and education guaranteed under Article 29 of the Constitution,” he said, while moving amendments seeking detailed legislative scrutiny.
The House rejected the amendments by voice vote.
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Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar backed the demand to refer the legislation to a Select Committee, saying the state faced more pressing concerns. “There is no need for a Uniform Civil Code in Madhya Pradesh at present. The issue of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs is more important,” he said.
Congress legislators later rushed to the Well of the House, shouting slogans, following which Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar passed the Bill by voice vote amid the din.
Outside the Assembly, Singhar accused the BJP government of using the legislation to pursue ideological objectives while ignoring governance issues.
“The BJP government wants to implement the RSS agenda in the name of the UCC and is running away from the real issues of the people,” Singhar said in a statement. “The government is asleep like a dead government when it comes to the people’s problems. Farmers are facing a shortage of fertilisers, youth are wandering in search of employment, crimes against women are continuously increasing and scams are being exposed, but the government is silent on these serious issues.”
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He said the Congress Legislature Party would continue to “raise issues concerning the people both inside and outside the Assembly” and “continue the fight for the rights and interests of the people of Madhya Pradesh”.
‘Everyone under one law’
Later, speaking to reporters, CM Yadav dismissed the Opposition’s criticism. Asked about the Congress charge that his government was implementing the RSS agenda, he replied, “If the RSS agenda is nationalist, then we will implement it not once but a hundred times.”
He said the Bill would now be sent to the President for assent.
“After this law comes into force, people of every religion will live under one law. No one will be able to practise triple talaq, halala, misuse live-in relationships or arbitrarily claim anyone’s property,” he said.
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The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet had on Sunday approved the draft UCC Bill. As per the bill, couples in a live-in relationship will be legally required to file a “declaration of live-in relationship” with the registrar within one month of starting to live together. If a partner is under 21, information about the “start and end of the live-in relationship will be sent to their parents/guardians”. The registrar will also send this record to the local police station.