Gujarat Govt begins work on UCC

The Gujarat Government’s committee tasked with drafting the state’s Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill held its first meeting on Tuesday, marking the beginning of its work to outline the broad contours of the proposed law. Former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai, who chairs the five-member panel, stated that gender rights would be a key focus of the UCC draft. She also mentioned that public consultations would be held as part of the process.

Desai, who had previously chaired the committee responsible for drafting Uttarakhand's UCC, which came into effect earlier this year, emphasised the importance of involving public opinion in the process. The Gujarat committee also launched a dedicated website, www.uccgujarat.in, to solicit suggestions from stakeholders, which will play a key role in shaping the final draft.

Speaking after the meeting, Desai said, “Our work starts today. The committee has been tasked with assessing the need for the UCC in Gujarat. We will come up with a draft after the exercise, and for that, we will hold public consultation.”

The state’s UCC initiative follows a promise made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its election manifestos, and it is seen as the final item on the party’s list of ideological pledges, after the implementation of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Gujarat now joins Uttarakhand as the second state to take steps toward implementing a Uniform Civil Code. The BJP-led Uttarakhand gGvernment was the first to roll out the UCC earlier this year.

The Gujarat Government has formed two subcommittees to aid in the drafting of the UCC — one focused on public consultations and the other on the drafting process itself.