Law panel perhaps considering working on UCC, says justice Desai
On May 27 last year, the Uttarakhand government had formed a five-member committee to prepare a draft for implementation of UCC in the state
The Law Commission of India is perhaps considering working on a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), justice (retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai, who is heading a panel formed by the Uttarakhand government to look into the matter, said on Friday.
UCC refers to a common set of laws governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and succession for all citizens of the country. On May 27 last year, the Uttarakhand government had formed a five-member committee, headed by Desai, to prepare a draft for implementation of UCC in the state.
Desai was speaking to reporters in Delhi, after a meeting with law commission chairman justice (retd) Rituraj Awasthi at Uttarakhand Sadan, when she said: “It was a courtesy call. Because we are working on it (UCC) and they (law commission) are also perhaps considering it.”
She added: “They were asking what work we have done. So we gave them some ideas. That’s all.”
Desai also said that discussions have been held with all stakeholders for the implementation of UCC in Uttarakhand. “A lot of work has been done. We are getting cooperation from all communities. A meeting was also held with all political parties and their suggestions were obtained,” she said.
Article 44 of the Constitution, which is one of the directive principles of state policy, advocates a uniform civil code. However, governments since Independence have allowed respective religion-based civil codes.
In 2018, the law commission had rejected a suggestion that it was time for UCC in the country. “This Commission has therefore dealt with laws that are discriminatory rather than providing a uniform civil code which is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage. The issue of uniform civil code is vast, and its potential repercussions, untested in India,” it said in a consultation paper.
In October 2022, the Gujarat government had announced the setting up of a panel to study the modalities of implementing UCC.
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