Gujarat has become the second Indian state after Uttarakhand to enact a Uniform Civil Code. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026, and the law was published in the state gazette on October 1 as Gujarat Act No. 15 of 2026.

The code covers marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships across religions. It bans polygamy, sets the minimum marriage age at 21 for men and 18 for women, and requires all marriages to be registered within 60 days, with penalties for default.

Live-in relationships must also be registered, and children born from them will be recognised as legitimate. The law gives maintenance rights to abandoned women but excludes Scheduled Tribes and communities whose customary rights are protected under Part XXI of the Constitution.

The law will come into force on a date notified separately, and rules are still being framed. BJP leaders welcomed the move as fulfilling a long-standing promise. The state government has said the code will ensure equal treatment for all citizens.