Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Clears UCC Bill with Tribal Exemptions; Set to be Tabled in Assembly

The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet on Sunday, July 19, 2026, approved the draft bill for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) during a special meeting in Jagdishpur near Bhopal. The bill, prepared by a six-member committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, is now scheduled to be presented in the Legislative Assembly during the monsoon session beginning Monday, July 20, 2026.

The draft bill proposes significant changes to personal laws across communities while carving out exemptions for Scheduled Tribes (STs) to safeguard their cultural traditions. A government official confirmed that the law will not apply to communities such as Bhil, Gond, Korku, Baiga, Sahariya, and Bharia, which are listed under Articles 342 and 366 (Clause 25) of the Constitution. Additionally, communities whose traditional rights are protected under Part XXI of the Constitution have been exempted.

“Respecting constitutional safeguards, this law will not apply to Scheduled Tribes... Furthermore, communities whose traditional rights are protected under Part XXI of the Constitution have also been specifically exempted from this Code,” the official said.

The bill seeks to prohibit polygamy and multiple marriages across all communities, declaring practices like nikah halala as illegal and punishable offences. It mandates the registration of marriages and divorces through government portals to ensure legal protections for women, including alimony and marital rights.

For live-in relationships, the bill requires couples to submit an affidavit to the local registrar within one month of beginning to cohabit. If either partner is under 21, the registrar must inform their parents or guardians and share the record with local police. Children born out of such relationships will be considered legitimate and entitled to full inheritance rights. Women who are abandoned by their male partners can claim maintenance through a competent court, similar to a legal wife.

The exemption for tribal communities reflects the committee’s recommendation to protect their “unique cultural heritage and traditional lifestyle.” The bill now awaits debate and voting in the state legislature.