On Uttarakhand live-in relationships

• Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code mandates the registration of live-in relationships at their commencement and termination.

• The rules, effective from January 27, 2025, require extensive documentation for registration.

• The rules violate the right to privacy enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution and the nine-judge Bench decision in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy versus Union of India.

• The registration process involves unmarried, heterosexual couples registering through an online portal or offline through a 16-page form with supporting documents.

• Applicants must provide extensive documents such as photographs, income tax Permanent Account Number (PAN), Aadhaar linked to phone number, and proof of residence or domicile within the State.

• If either partner is between the ages of 18 and 21, they must provide the Aadhaarlinked phone number and address of each of their parents or legal guardians.

• The rules attempt to equate live-in relationships with the status of marriage. If a couple falls within the “degrees of prohibited relationships” (related by blood), they must obtain linked to their phone number, and proof of residence or domicile within the State.

• Failure to register a live-in relationship within a month may result in civil and criminal penalties.

• If the partners are already living together, they must provide proof of their shared household, landlord’s full name, contact number, and a copy of the rent agreement.

• The rules also impose specific obligations on landlords when leasing property to a live-in couple.

• The registrar is empowered to verify the authenticity of submitted documents and ensure the relationship was not established through coercion, undue influence, misrepresentation, or fraud.

• The rules allow third-party disclosures of personal data without sufficient safeguards, leading to large-scale social surveillance of relationships.