New Delhi, Jan. 30 -- Uttarakhand's Uniform Civil Code (UCC) rules, which took effect on January 2, made it mandatory for live-in couples to register with the government. The couples must register, online or offline, before starting and after terminating the live-in relationships.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the hill state, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, has released the UCC portal: ucc.uk.gov.in. The portal is available in 23 languages.

Failure to register amounts to a violation, and the accused can face a jail term of up to six months. The rules apply to Uttarakhand residents who live in the state or elsewhere in the country.

Apart from the offline option, live-in couples who want to register their rela...