Major changes to *Nikah* following UCC implementation: Ban on second marriages; *Maulvis* barred from solemnizing them.

Major changes to Nikah following UCC implementation: Ban on second marriages; Maulvis barred from solemnizing them.

Following the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand, the Waqf Board has taken a significant decision regarding Muslim marriages (*Nikah*). The Board will now issue a new *Nikahnama* (marriage contract) that provides for only a single marriage; the new document will contain no provision or column for a second, third, or fourth marriage. Furthermore, a ban has been imposed on solemnizing a second marriage in the state without a legal divorce, and *Maulvis* (clerics) officiating the ceremony will be required to adhere to these regulations. In essence, if a man’s first wife is alive and the marriage has not been legally dissolved, he will be unable to enter into a second marriage. This decision directly impacts the *Maulvis* who officiate these ceremonies; according to the Waqf Board, compliance with its rules is mandatory for those conducting *Nikah* in mosques. Consequently, no *Maulvi* will solemnize a second marriage for a man whose first marriage has not been legally terminated.