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Anyone who wants to move into the Indian state of Uttarakhand in the Himalayas without being married with their partner will in future need permission from the authorities. The regional parliament, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party has a majority, approved the civil rights legislation on Wednesday. Failure to report such living arrangements within one month may result in a fine or imprisonment.

The application can be rejected, among other things, if at least one partner is a minor or if the relationship is alleged to have arisen through coercion or fraud. In any case, an investigation by the authorities will take place. And if the couple ultimately decides that they no longer want to live together, they must also report this in writing.

Since the proposed law was announced, the new scheme has caused a stir on social networks in the country of 1.4 billion people. Love relationships without marriage vows are already taboo for many Indians, but the new legislation in Uttarakhand goes much further. In multi-religious, but predominantly Hindu India, very different rules apply to different religious groups when it comes to matters such as marriage, divorce and inheritance. For example, a Muslim may marry a maximum of four wives. However, all other Indians are allowed to marry only one partner.

In Uttarakhand, the same rules will now apply to everyone – and this will also ban polygamy and other Muslim practices. The legislation was criticized by representatives of the Muslim minority – and at the same time it is an old and important promise of Modi’s ruling party, the BJP. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said: “This law is not against anyone, but is aimed at helping society as a whole and especially women – and ensuring they get their rights.”

According to observers, other states with a BJP majority could take the same step as Uttarakhand. In a few months there will be parliamentary elections in India. (sda/dpa)