Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that while he personally does not endorse the concept of live-in relationships, his government enacted the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to safeguard the rights and lives of women who choose such arrangements.

Speaking at an event on the effective implementation of the UCC in the state on Saturday, Dhami acknowledged his personal reservations, stating, “I personally do not subscribe to the idea of live-in relationships. It was never part of our culture. However, it is a reality today—and one that has led to several tragic incidents involving atrocities against women.”

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The Chief Minister referred to the infamous 2022 Shraddha Walkar case, where she was brutally murdered and dismembered by her live-in partner, Aftab Poonawala.

“Her body parts were stored in a 400-litre freezer and disposed of in a forest. Her parents were unaware of the live-in relationship, as the accused kept them misled through her social media accounts,” Dhami said. “We introduced the UCC to ensure that no monster like Aftab can harm our daughters again. The UCC is about security—not just for women, but for men as well.”

He also cited another incident in Sitarganj, where a woman was allegedly murdered and beheaded by her live-in partner. “This tragedy happened because there was no official record of the live-in relationship. Lack of documentation was a major factor in the delay of justice,” Dhami noted.

Before the UCC was enacted in Uttarakhand, there was no specific legal framework governing live-in relationships, the Chief Minister said. “Think about parents not knowing their children are in such relationships, and then suddenly receiving devastating news. The UCC helps prevent this,” he said.

Emphasizing the broader implications of the code, Dhami stated, “The Uniform Civil Code is a constitutional measure designed to eliminate disparities based on caste, religion, sex, and more. Its implementation has ushered in judicial equality and marked the beginning of a new era for women’s empowerment in the state.”

He added that Muslim women in Uttarakhand have now been freed from regressive practices such as halala, iddat, triple talaq, child marriage, and polygamy. “With the UCC in place, no woman will be discriminated against in matters of inheritance or parental property. It will also help in the timely resolution of many personal law cases pending in courts,” Dhami asserted.