Uttarakhand Waqf Board proposes new nikahnama to align with UCC
The Uttarakhand Waqf Board is revising the nikahnama to align with the state's Uniform Civil Code, which prohibits polygamy and practices like triple talaq. The new format requires official registration and aims to ensure legal compliance for Muslim marriages in the state.
Why it matters
This represents a significant administrative shift in how religious marriage contracts are handled under secular state law, reflecting broader debates on civil codes in India.
More than a year and a half after Uttarakhand rolled out the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the State Waqf Board is preparing a revised format for the nikahnama , or Islamic marriage contract, to bring Muslim marriage registrations into conformity with the new law, Waqf Board chairman Shadab Shams said.
Under the revised format, the columns introducing second, third or fourth marriages will be removed, with only one marriage allowed under the UCC, which has been in force in the State since January 27, 2025. Practices such as “triple talaq ” and halala will also stand barred, in keeping with the UCC.
“The new marriage registration process will also do away with conversions carried out solely for marriage, with interfaith couples required to register instead under the Special Marriage Act,” Mr. Shams told The Hindu .
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