Tue Feb 18 16:36:47 UTC 2025: ## Uttarakhand High Court Questions Privacy Claim in UCC Live-in Challenge
**Dehradun, India –** The Uttarakhand High Court sharply criticized a 23-year-old man’s challenge to the state’s Uniform Civil Code (UCC), questioning the very notion of privacy in his case. The court questioned Jai Tripathi’s claim that the UCC’s mandatory registration of live-in relationships violates his personal liberty and privacy.
“What is the secret?” the bench of Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mahra reportedly asked. “Both of you are living together; your neighbour knows, society knows, and the world knows. Then where is the secrecy you are talking about?”
Tripathi argued that the registration provision institutionalizes gossip and interferes with personal choices. However, the court clarified that the state isn’t prohibiting live-in relationships, but merely requiring their registration. The court urged Tripathi to be specific in his allegations of privacy invasion, demanding concrete evidence.
Uttarakhand’s UCC, enacted on January 27th, is the first of its kind in India. It mandates the registration of all live-in relationships within the state, including those involving residents living outside Uttarakhand. The law also requires parental consent for live-in relationships involving individuals under 21. Failure to register or providing false information carries penalties of up to three months imprisonment and/or a Rs 25,000 fine. Even a one-month delay results in a possible three-month prison sentence and/or a Rs 10,000 fine.
The UCC also grants legitimate child status and equal inheritance rights to children born from live-in relationships, using the gender-neutral term “child.” An online portal facilitates the registration of marriages, divorces, inheritance, and live-in relationships.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami previously described the UCC as a contribution to the nation’s development and harmony. The High Court’s response, however, highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the implications of the law for personal freedoms and privacy.
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