A Uniform Civil Code That Was in the Stage of Consultations Existed in Uttarakhand Prior to Gujarat!

More than one lakh suggestions have been offered up to this point to the UCC committee that was established by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami.

When Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami made the announcement during the Uttarakhand Assembly elections earlier this year that his government would establish a panel to draught a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) if voted back to power, it was advantageous for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Now, the party is attempting to do the same thing in the upcoming election in Gujarat.

The announcement was made by Dhami on the 12th of February, which was the final day of campaigning in the hill state. According to a news agency quoted from the Chief Minister, “the safety of Uttarakhand’s cultural and religious heritage, as well as its environment and borders, is important not just for the state of Uttarakhand, but for the entire country.”

“Therefore, shortly after the ceremony in which we take our oaths of office, the upcoming BJP government will establish a committee comprised of individuals who have expertise in the judicial system, retired government employees, prominent members of society, and other interested parties.

A preliminary version of Uttarakhand’s unified civil code will be drafted by this committee and provided to the state’s residents. This UCC will work toward ensuring that people of all religions are treated equally under the law with regard to issues such as marriage, divorce, land ownership, and inheritance.

He continued by saying, “The UCC will be an important step towards fulfilling the dream of the Constitution’s creators, and it will solidify the Constitution’s spirit.” This will also be an effective step towards Article 44 of the Constitution, which talks about securing a UCC for every citizen of the country.

This provision calls for a UCC to be issued to every citizen of the country. The highest court in the land has, on occasion, not only emphasized the importance of its implementation but also voiced its displeasure over the lack of progress being made in this area.

The following month, during the newly elected government’s first Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister kept his promise and announced the formation of a committee of experts to study the implementation of UCC in the state. This committee will study how UCC can be implemented effectively in the state. Dhami reported that the Cabinet had given its approval to establish the high-powered committee as soon as possible in a unanimous vote.

In May, the committee that is currently being led by Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai, who is a retired judge from the Supreme Court and also serves as the head of the Delimitation Commission India, was established. A retired judge from the Delhi High Court named Pramod Kohli, a social activist named Manu Gaur, a former chief secretary named Shatrughan Singh, and the Vice-Chancellor of Doon University named Surekha Dangwal are also members of the panel.

The committee held its first meeting on July 4 at Uttarakhand Sadan, which is located in the nation’s capital. After some time, it shifted its focus to talking to stakeholders and conducting a study of cases where people exploited existing laws for their own benefit.

Additionally, the committee intends to soon begin meeting with various stakeholders, such as religious leaders from the Hindu community as well as the Muslim community, in order to solicit their opinions on how the draught of the UCC should be structured.

In September, the committee asked residents of Uttarakhand and organizations based in Uttarakhand for their input. These organizations included government agencies, non-government organizations, social groups and communities, religious bodies, and political parties.

In addition, Justice (retired) Desai launched a website (www.ucc.uk.gov.in) that allows residents of Uttarakhand and other stakeholders to directly upload their ideas. The committee has reportedly already received more than one hundred thousand suggestions, according to the sources (mostly through letters).