Uttarakhand Waqf Board to introduce new Nikahnama under UCC

The Uttarakhand Waqf Board is developing a new Nikahnama (marriage contract) to align with the state’s implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). According to Board Chairman Shadab Shams, the new document aims to ensure the Muslim community complies with the new legal framework and to protect individuals from legal complications.

The proposed Nikahnama will incorporate several significant changes, including the removal of provisions for second, third, or fourth marriages to reflect the ban on polygamy under the UCC. Additionally, practices such as Halala and triple talaq will be prohibited, as they are now classified as offences under the code.

Shams stated that the draft is being prepared in consultation with individuals involved in the UCC drafting process. The new contract will also include an affidavit requiring parties to provide truthful information, with legal action threatened against those who provide false data or violate the document’s provisions.