Momentum Builds: West Bengal moves towards Uniform Civil Code, ex SC Judge to head panel
Kolkata, June 29: The West Bengal government has taken a major step towards implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state, announcing the formation of a high-level committee to draft it. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari informed the Assembly on Monday that the committee will be chaired by former Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai.
The Chief Minister said that the draft UCC bill prepared by the committee will be presented before the state cabinet on July 2. After receiving cabinet approval, it will be introduced in the Assembly.
According to the government, the proposed Uniform Civil Code aims to create a common legal framework that will apply equally to all religions for civil matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption.
Following the announcement in the Assembly, political debate on this issue has intensified in the state’s politics. Samik Bhattacharya, president of the BJP’s West Bengal unit, clarified that tribal communities protected by the Constitution will be excluded from the scope of the proposed UCC. He stated that the Uniform Civil Code has been a long-standing policy and election pledge of the BJP.
Samik Bhattacharya also rejected allegations that the proposed law seeks to regulate family size. He stated that such a provision is neither the purpose nor part of the UCC.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress strongly opposed the proposal, alleging that the BJP seeks political advantage over legal reform. Party president and former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has directed party leaders to strongly oppose the bill both inside and outside the Assembly.
The Trinamool Congress maintains that the proposed UCC is not merely a matter of legal reform, but also an important issue related to the fundamental spirit of the Constitution, social consensus, and India’s pluralistic system. A senior party leader said that the real question is whether the UCC is truly being introduced to protect the interests of citizens and constitutional values, or is being used as a tool for political polarization.
The state government’s announcement is likely to intensify the political and legal debate over the Uniform Civil Code in West Bengal. If approved by the Cabinet, the bill will soon be presented to the Assembly for discussion and passage.
