The Uttarakhand Waqf Board is preparing a revised nikahnama that will bring Muslim marriage registrations into line with the state’s Uniform Civil Code. Board chairman Shadab Shams said the new format is expected to be finalised within a month after discussions with the UCC drafting panel scheduled for 9 September.
Under the proposed contract, the columns that currently allow for a second, third, or fourth marriage will be removed. Only one marriage will be permitted in keeping with the monogamy requirement of the UCC which has been in force in the state since January 2025. The draft also bars the practice of nikah as well as instant triple talaq. A toll free helpline number for women facing coercion is expected to be printed on the document.
On inheritance the revised nikahnama states that daughters will retain an equal share in their father’s property even after marriage. This marks a departure from the traditional Sharia rule under which a daughter’s fixed share is generally half that of a son. The mandatory enforcement of the post divorce waiting period known as iddat is also removed giving women greater autonomy over its duration. Conversions undertaken solely for the purpose of marriage will not be recognised. Interfaith couples will be directed to register under the Special Marriage Act of 1954.
Clerics who solemnise marriages will operate under Waqf appointed management committees and will be issued special appointment numbers. Both parties will be required to submit sworn affidavits containing complete personal details. Legal action is proposed against those who provide false information or attempt duplicate registrations.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has opposed the move. Spokesperson Dr S.Q.R. Ilyas said no statutory body or state government should alter the nikahnama while constitutional challenges to the Uttarakhand UCC remain pending before the High Court. Opposing groups argue that the Muslim Personal Law Shariat Application Act of 1937 continues as valid central legislation and cannot be overridden by state level directives. In response to UCC measures in several BJP ruled states the AIMPLB has announced a nationwide campaign titled Movement for Protection of the Constitution and Sharia that is scheduled to begin at Jantar Mantar on 17 September.
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Shadab Shams has described the revised contract as a means to create awareness within the community and to protect individuals from legal complications arising from practices now barred under the UCC. The proposal has been sent to the state government for review. Once approved the new nikahnama is expected to become the standard document for marriages conducted under the supervision of the Waqf Board in Uttarakhand.
The initiative marks the first detailed attempt by a state Waqf Board to rewrite the formal marriage contract itself so that it conforms to the Uniform Civil Code. How the final text balances statutory requirements with community practice will become clear after the 9 September meeting and the subsequent government approval.
