Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami declared on Sunday that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will soon become a reality in the state, with plans to present it in the Assembly in the near future. This announcement was made during the Shashtipurti Mahotsav of Sadhvi Ritambhara in Mathura on Saturday.
The Uniform Civil Code aims to formulate and implement personal laws that will be applicable uniformly to all citizens, irrespective of their religion, gender, or sexual orientation. This proposal was a key commitment made to the people of Uttarakhand in the lead-up to the 2022 assembly polls.
The Uttarakhand Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on December 22, approved the decisions taken by a five-member panel assigned to prepare a draft for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. The committee, led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, has yet to submit its detailed report to the government. Other members of the committee include retired Delhi High Court judge Pramod Kohli, social activist Manu Gaur, ex-chief secretary and IAS officer Shatrughan Singh, and Doon University Vice-Chancellor Surekha Dangwal.
Article 44 of the Constitution of India emphasizes the State’s commitment to securing a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India, proposing a common set of laws dealing with marriage, inheritance, adoption, and other matters.
The Uniform Civil Code, a topic that has stirred polarized opinions over the last four years, gained renewed attention after Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated for its implementation during an address in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal. PM Modi stressed that the country cannot operate with two sets of laws and asserted that the Uniform Civil Code aligns with the founding principles and ideals of the Constitution.
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