Bill to Implement Uniform Civil Code Likely to be Tabled in Parliament Monsoon Session

The government is likely to table a bill on implemening a Uniform Civil Code in the monsoon session of Parliament set to begin on July, said highly placed sources.

According to sources, the bill may be sent to the parliamentary standing committee which will hear views of various stakeholders on the Uniform Cvil Code.

This comes after the Parliamentary Standing Committee on personnel, public grievances, law and justice called representatives of the Law Commission and the law ministry on July 3 on a recent notice issued by the law panel. The Law Commission had issued the notice seeking views of stakeholders on the issue of a Uniform Civil Code.

According to the schedule of the standing committee on law and personnel, it will hear the views of representatives of the law panel and legal affairs and legislative departments of the law ministry "on public notice issued by the Law Commission of India on June 14, 2023, inviting views from the various stakeholders on the Uniform Civil Code, under the subject 'Review of Personal Laws'".

The monsoon session is likely to commence in the third week of July, with sittings beginning in the old Parliament building and moving to the new building midway, PTI reported, citing sources.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a strong pitch for uniform laws for people across communities, claiming that Muslims are being instigated over the sensitive issue.

Even the Supreme Court has advocated for a UCC, but those practising vote bank politics are opposing it, said PM Modi and asked how the country can have two systems, touching upon an issue closely identified with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with less than a year left for the Lok Sabha polls.

PM Modi's statement triggered a nationwide debate as several opposition leaders charged that he was raising the UCC issue for political gains as elections approach in several states.

The Uniform Civil Code is a proposal aimed at replacing personal laws based on religions, customs, and traditions with one common law for everyone, irrespective of religion, cast, creed, sexual orientation, and gender.

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