Ahmedabad:
The Gujarat government on Tuesday announced the formation of a high-level committee to evaluate and draft a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for the state, marking a significant step towards implementing a controversial legal measure that aims to establish uniform personal laws for all citizens regardless of religion.
The five-member committee, to be headed by retired Supreme Court justice Ranjana Desai, who recently shepherded Uttarakhand’s UCC legislation, has been given 45 days to submit its report, which will be taken into account for a bill. The announcement makes Gujarat the latest BJP-ruled state to move towards implementing the common code, following Uttarakhand’s rollout in January.
Chief minister Bhupendra Patel, announcing the decision in Gandhinagar, said the move was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader national vision. “To assess the need for a Uniform Civil Code and to prepare a draft bill for the same, we have decided to form a committee under the former judge of the Supreme Court,” Patel said, adding that implementation decisions would follow the committee’s recommendations.
The committee includes retired IAS officer CL Meena, advocate RC Kodekar, educationist Daxesh Thakar and social worker Gita Shroff —people with administrative, legal, and civil society expertise. The composition has already drawn criticism from opposition parties for lacking representation from religious minorities.
Justice Desai also had a role in crafting Uttarakhand’s UCC, which established mandatory registration for marriages and live-in relationships, banned polygamy, and provided equal inheritance rights for women. Several Muslim organisations have announced plans to contest Uttarakhand’s legislation in the Supreme Court.
The move comes less than three months after Uttarakhand became the first state in India to implement a UCC, establishing a comprehensive framework for marriage registration, divorce, live-in relationships, and inheritance rights. Goa remains the only other Indian state with a UCC, having retained its Portuguese-era civil code after joining the Indian Union in 1961.
Gujarat’s minister of state for Home, Harsh Sanghavi emphasised that Gujarat would follow Uttarakhand’s model of protecting tribal customs and traditions. “Our (Union) home minister Amit Shah has also clarified in Jharkhand that UCC will protect the traditions followed by tribals,” he said, addressing one of the primary concerns about the legislation.
The UCC represents one of the BJP’s core ideological commitments, alongside the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Prime Minister Modi has personally championed the cause, making a strong pitch for nationwide implementation during a BJP workers’ meeting in June 2023.
Opposition parties mounted immediate criticism of the move. Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi characterised it as an attempt to divert attention from pressing economic issues. “The government both at the Centre and in Gujarat has failed to address the issues of inflation and unemployment. The need of the hour is a Uniform Health Code and a Uniform Education Code,” he said.
Aam Aadmi Party Gujarat chief Isudan Gadhavi raised specific concerns about tribal constituencies: “The introduction of the UCC will impact the tribal community. There are 27 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes in Gujarat, and if the BJP brings in the UCC, they won’t be able to enter those areas.”
Government officials indicated that the committee would conduct broad consultations, including meetings with religious leaders and representatives from various communities.