The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday questioned a 23-year-old petitioner's argument that State's recently enacted Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was violative of his personal liberty and privacy..The Court asked the petitioner how the State was invading his privacy when the relationship is not a secret.The petitioner, Jai Tripathi, filed the plea challenging specific provisions under the UCC that require the registration of live-in relationships.During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioner argued that the State has mentioned there will be an inquiry and that gossip will be institutionalized if the UCC provisions come into effect.To this, a Bench of Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mahra orally observed,"What is secret? Both of you are living together; your neighbor knows, society knows, and the world knows. Then where is the secrecy you are talking about?...What gossip? Are you living secretly, in some secluded cave? You are living amongst the civil society. You are brazenly living together without there being a marriage. And then what is the secret? What is the privacy that is invaded?".What is secret? Both of you are living together; your neighbor knows, society knows, and the world knows. Are you living secretly, in some secluded cave?Uttarakhand High Court.The counsel said that, as a 23-year-old, the petitioner does not wish to declare his live-in relationship as the same is violative of the right to privacy.In response, the Court stated that the State government is not prohibiting live-in relationships but is merely providing for their registration and the same will not amount to a declaration of such relationships per se.The Court said that claims regarding invasions of privacy have to be specific and the petitioner cannot make omnibus arguments."Who is coming in between? You need to understand that you are alleging that they are invading your privacy, disclosing your details. If there is any such material, please disclose it. No omnibus submissions. If you make allegations be specific," the Court further observed.It then tagged the petition with similar plea filed earlier in which the Court had issued notice to the State.The matter will be heard next on April 1..Advocates Abhijay Negi and Snigdha Tiwari appeared for the petitioner..The Uttarakhand government had brought the Uniform Civil Code into force in the State on January 27 thereby, becoming the first State to do so in the country.The law penalises persons who do not register their live-in relationships with a prison term. The proposed legislation also deals with other aspects such as marriage, divorce and inheritance in Uttarakhand.Those wanting to reside as partners in live-in relationships in Uttarakhand will now have to register their unions by giving a statement to the Registrar, who may or may not grant the registration if the relationship flouts any of the conditions enlisted in the UCC. A live-in relationship will not be registered if the partners fall under the “prohibited relationships” category. .Read more about UCC here.
