An 800-page report submitted on Friday to the Uttarakhand by the five-member panel working on the draft Uniform Civil Code has recommended the exclusion of Scheduled Tribes from the ambit of the UCC Bill besides a ban on polygamy among other recommendations.

The report, prepared by the five-member committee led by retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai was formed with the mandate to establish a legal framework for uniform marriage, divorce, land, property, and inheritance laws applicable to all citizens, regardless of their religion in the state.

Also Read: Uttarakhand panel submits Uniform Civil Code draft to CM Pushkar Dhami

In its report submitted to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami three days ahead of a special session scheduled to discuss and pass the Uniform CIvil Code Bill, the panel has recommended halala, iddat and triple talaq, the practices governing marriages and divorces as per the Muslim personal law, as punishable offences, The Indian Express reported citing sources.

Among other measures, the report also reccomends mandatory registration of live-in relationships. It has also recommended the exemption of tribals, who constitute 2.9 per cent of the state’s population, from the ambit of the UCC. Notably, tribals were opposed to the UCC in view of the special status granted to them.

Also Read: Uttarakhand set to pass Uniform Civil Code in one-day Assembly session on February 5

The draft report also deals with provisions pertaining to legal age of marriage for women and also includes suggestions on retaining the legal age to 18 as well as increasing it to 21 years. As per the IE report, the government will decide on which of the two suggestions it will incorporate in the Bill.

The draft report makes no recommendations on population control, contrary to expectations following the Centre’s Budget announcement to form a committee to deal with the challenges emerging from rapid population growth and demographic changes. The report, which the government is set to examine before bringing a Bill, also proposes equal inheritance for women.

According to The Indian Express, the 800-page is divided into four volumes – the committee’s report, the draft code in English, the public consultation report of the panel and the draft code in Hindi.

Notably, the implementation of the UCC ahead of the Lok Sabha elections is one of the BJP’s key poll promises in the state. Addressing the media on Friday, CM Dhami said that the party had promised the implementation of the code ahead of the Assembly elections in the state. Dhami said that the UCC panel was formed after the first Cabinet meeting.

“A Uniform Civil Code bill will be introduced in the upcoming assembly session and will be implemented as a law as soon as possible,” he added.