Madhya Pradesh UCC Draft Proposes Mandatory Registration Of Live-In Relationships, Cancellation Upon Separation

Last Updated:July 15, 2026, 09:17 IST

Madhya Pradesh's UCC draft proposes mandatory registration of live-in relationships, inheritance law changes and maintenance rights.

The Madhya Pradesh government’s proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) seeks to make the registration of live-in relationships mandatory, with non-compliance punishable by imprisonment of up to three months, according to a report by The Times of India.

The draft legislation, which is likely to be introduced during the state’s Monsoon Session beginning July 20, also proposes changes to inheritance laws, maintenance rights and the legal framework governing live-in relationships.

According to the report, the committee constituted to draft the UCC has submitted its final report to the state government, and a special Cabinet meeting has been scheduled for July 19 before the Bill is tabled in the Assembly.

MANDATORY REGISTRATION FOR LIVE-IN COUPLES

As per the draft, couples entering into a live-in relationship will be required to register the relationship with the registrar of the district in which they reside.

If the relationship ends, the registration must also be formally cancelled.

The proposed law states that failure to register a live-in relationship could attract a jail term of up to three months.

The draft further proposes that parents of individuals entering a live-in relationship be informed of their relationship status.

It also provides that local police stations will maintain records of all registered live-in couples within their respective jurisdictions, the report mentioned.

NEIGHBOURS, LANDLORDS CAN REPORT UNREGISTERED LIVE-IN RELATIONSHIPS

The report states that another provision in the draft empowers any person, including neighbours and landlords of the rented accommodation where the couple resides, to report an unregistered live-in relationship to the authorities.

The proposed code also seeks to provide legal protection to women in such relationships.

If a man abandons his live-in partner, he would be liable to provide maintenance to her under the draft provisions.

The draft UCC also recommends significant changes to succession and inheritance rules.

At present, a deceased man’s property is generally inherited by his wife, children and mother. However, the proposed code seeks to include the father as a legal heir, making him eligible for a share in the property.

Additionally, the draft proposes replacing the term “mother" with “parents" in the relevant provisions.

According to the report, this change is intended to ensure that if the mother is no longer alive, the father will continue to retain inheritance rights.

SPECIAL CABINET MEETING ON JULY 19

The committee has reportedly argued that personal and family matters, including marriage, divorce, maintenance, succession and inheritance, are currently governed by different personal laws, making it necessary to establish a uniform and practical legal framework.

A special meeting of the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has been scheduled for July 19 to consider the draft before it is introduced in the Assembly during the Monsoon Session, beginning July 20, the report said.

The proposed Uniform Civil Code will initially not apply to Madhya Pradesh’s tribal population, which accounts for nearly 21 per cent of the state’s population.

If enacted, Madhya Pradesh would join a small group of states that have moved towards implementing a state-level Uniform Civil Code, introducing a common legal framework for several civil matters while carving out exemptions for tribal communities.

About the Author

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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