The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet on Sunday approved the draft Uniform Civil Code Bill that proposes to ban polygamy and introduce strict provisions for live-in relationships. Adivasi communities have been exempted from the bill.

It is expected to be tabled in the Assembly during the Monsoon Session, which begins on Monday.

The Uniform Civil Code aims to introduce a common set of laws governing marriage, divorce, succession and adoption for all citizens. Currently, such personal affairs of different religions are based on community-specific laws, largely derived from religious scripture.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that the objective of the code is to ensure equal rights and justice for all citizens.

Citing suggestions made to the committee drafting the bill, he claimed that more than 80% of Muslim women and 40% of Muslim men had expressed their support for the Uniform Civil Code.

The draft legislation proposes to exclude the Scheduled Tribe communities to protect their “unique cultural heritage and traditional lifestyle”, The Hindu quoted the chief minister as saying.

The bill proposes to ban polygamy and declares practices such as triple talaq and nikah halala as illegal and punishable, the newspaper reported.

It also seeks to make it mandatory for live-in couples to submit an affidavit to the local registrar within a month of entering into such a relationship. Legal action could be taken if the couple violates the provision.

The bill proposes that if either partner in a live-in relationship is below the age of 21, their parents or guardians will be informed, and records will be shared with the police, The Hindu reported.

A married person who gets into a live-in relationship would be liable for a punishment of up to five years in jail, Yadav said.

The Opposition has questioned the need for the legislation.

BJP and UCC

Introducing a common personal law has for long been on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s agenda and several states ruled by the party have been making advances towards implementing it.

In January 2025, BJP-ruled Uttarakhand became the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code after independence. The Gujarat Assembly cleared a similar legislation in March amid protests by the Opposition. A common civil code has been in place in Goa since the Portuguese Civil Code was adopted in 1867.

The Assam Assembly on May 27 passed the Uniform Civil Code bill seeking to ban polygamy and make the registration of live-in relationships compulsory. The Opposition had demanded that the bill be sent to a select committee for scrutiny.

Written by Nachiket Deuskar. Edited by Sneha.

Also read: Under UCC, only those with one marriage will have the right to live in Madhya Pradesh: CM