Gujarat has taken a significant step towards implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) by forming a five-member committee to draft guidelines. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi announced that retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Desai would chair the committee, which includes retired IAS officer CL Meena, advocate RC Kodekar, former Vice Chancellor Dakshesh Thaker, and social worker Geetaben Shroff. The committee has been tasked with submitting its report within 45 days, based on which the state government will decide on the next course of action.
This move follows the recent implementation of UCC in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand, making it the second state to advance towards a common civil code, with Goa having had a UCC since its inception. The Gujarat government had initially announced its intent to introduce UCC in October 2022, ahead of the state assembly elections, by forming a committee to study its implementation. The decision aligns with the BJP’s long-standing promise to bring uniform personal laws across the country.
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions, with BJP leaders hailing it as a historic decision under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s leadership, while opposition parties have dismissed it as a political gimmick. The BJP had included UCC implementation in its 2022 election manifesto, and this step marks progress towards fulfilling that pledge. The final decision will be taken after the committee submits its recommendations to the state government.
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