Chhattisgarh has moved closer to introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), with the state government’s high-level committee holding its first meeting on Friday. The meeting, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, lasted for more than two hours. Officials described it as an introductory session to discuss the proposed legal framework and chart the process for preparing the draft.
Justice Desai joined the meeting through video conferencing from New Delhi. The meeting, held at the Chief Secretary’s office in Raipur, was attended by committee members former Uttarakhand IAS officer Shatrughan Singh, M.K. Raut, senior advocate Mohan Pawar and retired principal Jyoti Rani Singh.
One of the key decisions taken during the meeting was to seek public participation before finalising the committee’s recommendations. A dedicated portal, cgucc.com, will be launched to invite claims, objections and suggestions from citizens on the proposed law.
The state government has constituted a five-member committee to prepare the draft of the Uniform Civil Code. Besides Justice (Retd.) Ranjana Prakash Desai as chairperson, the panel comprises Shatrughan Singh, M.K. Raut, Mohan Pawar and Jyoti Rani Singh.
Earlier, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that the state government intends to introduce the UCC Bill during the upcoming Winter Session of the Assembly after the committee submits its recommendations. Speaking to reporters before leaving for Karnataka, Sai said the panel would complete its deliberations before submitting its report, after which the government would complete the necessary formalities to place the Bill before the House.
If the legislation is passed, Chhattisgarh will become the fifth state in the country to move ahead with the Uniform Civil Code after Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Assam and Madhya Pradesh, which have either implemented or initiated the process.
Responding to recent protests by the Congress party, the Chief Minister said that peaceful protest is a democratic right, but no one is allowed to take the law into their own hands. Alleging that Congress workers had resorted to stone-pelting “like in Kashmir”, he said those responsible for disturbing law and order would face action in accordance with the law.
The Uniform Civil Code seeks to establish a common legal framework for civil matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and property for all citizens, irrespective of religion.
The government claims that the proposed law is intended to bring greater uniformity in civil laws, simplify legal procedures and promote gender equality. In tribal-majority Chhattisgarh, however, In tribal-majority Chhattisgarh, however, it remains to be seen whether the tribal community will be kept outside the scope of the proposed legislation.