UCC Bill tabled in Uttarakhand Assembly
What's the story
The draft bill on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was tabled during a specially-convened Uttarakhand Assembly session on Tuesday.
If approved, Uttarakhand will be the first state after independence to adopt the UCC.
On Sunday evening, the state government, in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, approved the draft report submitted by an expert panel.
The UCC aims to unify laws across different faiths and tribes, covering areas like marriage, divorce, inheritance, and maintenance.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The UCC has long been a constant in the manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Alongside the construction of a Ram Mandir and the abrogation of Article 370 (which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir), the UCC has been a focus area for the party.
Ram Mandir's construction and the abrogation of Article 370 have already taken place.
To be noted, UCC has been operational in Goa since the days of Portuguese rule.
Twitter Post
Watch: CM Dhami tables the UCC Uttarakhand 2024 Bill
#WATCH | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami tables the Uniform Civil Code Uttarakhand 2024 Bill in State Assembly, in Dehradun. pic.twitter.com/B1LRzfoC09
— ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2024
749-page report
Key provisions of draft bill
A government-appointed panel, headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, has prepared a comprehensive report with numerous suggestions spanning four volumes and 749 pages.
The proposed UCC seeks a ban on polygamy and includes a provision for live-in couples to register their relationship, NDTV reported.
The recommendations also grant adoption rights to everyone and ensure equal inheritance rights for both sons and daughters.
2022
Expert panel chaired by retired SC justice
The aforementioned expert committee to draft the UCC was formed on May 27, 2022.
Chaired by Supreme Court Justice (Retired) Desai, it comprises Delhi High Court Justice Pramod Kohli, former Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh, Doon University Vice-Chancellor Surekha Dangwal, and social worker Manu Gaur.
Over the course of deliberations, the panel gathered 2.33 lakh written feedback online and held over 70 public forums.
Poll plank
Passage of bill BJP's election promise in 2022
The BJP made the passage of this bill one of its major election promises in the state before the 2022 Assembly polls.
Last month, in a statement on X, Dhami expressed his government's resolve to implement the UCC before the Lok Sabha elections.
"Our government has always been committed to implementing the UCC in the state in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'One India, Best India' before the elections," he said.
Twitter Post
Read what Dhami said about UCC last month
आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के 'एक भारत,श्रेष्ठ भारत' के विजन और चुनाव से पूर्व उत्तराखण्ड की देवतुल्य जनता के समक्ष रखे गए संकल्प एवं उनकी आकांक्षाओं के अनुरूप हमारी सरकार प्रदेश में समान नागरिक संहिता लागू करने हेतु सदैव प्रतिबद्ध रही है।
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) January 29, 2024
यूनिफॉर्म सिविल कोड का…
Debate
Support, opposition to UCC
The UCC's proponents contend that the discrimination against women allegedly present in all religions' personal laws will end.
It may also streamline personal laws and strengthen unity and nationalist sentiment, they say.
However, its opponents argue that Hindu majoritarianism will be imposed on minorities under the guise of the UCC.
Article 25 of the Constitution is also cited against UCC, in which every Indian citizen has the right to profess his religion and to practice and propagate it.