– Zaina Aman
Uttarakhand Chief Minister PS Dhami announced on Monday that a committee, chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, will submit its report on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to the state on February 2. Subsequently, the government intends to deliberate on the issue during a cabinet meeting and present the bill in the state assembly during the upcoming session slated to take place from February 5 to 8.
The term Uniform Civil Code (UCC) denotes a unified set of laws intended to encompass customary practices across various religions and tribes, regulating matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, and maintenance. The Uniform Civil Code has long been a consistent element in the BJP’s manifesto, alongside the realization of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the revocation of Article 370, both of which have been accomplished in BJP’s rule.
Muslims oppose the UCC due to concerns about potential infringement on their personal laws and religious practices. They worry that a standardized civil code might not accommodate the diversity of personal laws within different religious communities, and they fear it could undermine the autonomy granted to them by their respective religious laws. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential cultural and religious impacts of imposing a single set of laws on a diverse and pluralistic society.
Following the electoral victory of BJP, the Uttarakhand cabinet, in its inaugural meeting on March 24, resolved to establish a committee responsible for delineating the specifics of implementing the UCC. The official directive to form this expert panel, led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai, was formally issued on May 27, 2022.
“This choice has been made to ensure uniformity in the law for all individuals,” Dhami stated following the issuance of the order in May 2022, emphasizing that embracing the UCC was in line with the Directive Principles of State Policy.
