With less than a year to go for the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a strong pitch for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), even as he has accused Opposition parties of inciting minority communities against it. Hitting back at the PM, the Congress has said that a ‘divisive’ code cannot be forced on people by an ‘agenda-driven majoritarian government’. The UCC continues to be a key poll plank of the ruling BJP, which kept its core-agenda promises of abrogating Article 370 months after it won the 2019 General Election and is on course to get the Ram Mandir ready by early next year.

The UCC envisages a common set of personal laws dealing with matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption, applicable to all citizens of India irrespective of their religion. The Law Commission had on June 14 initiated the process of inviting views from stakeholders, including the public and recognized religious organizations, on the contentious issue. The BJP-ruled Uttarakhand is spearheading the UCC campaign, even as the Supreme Court had observed in January this year that state governments had the power to examine the feasibility of implementing the common code. The Constitution’s Article 44, which is one of the directive principles of state policy, says that ‘the State shall endeavor to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India’.

The Union government faces the onerous task of building consensus on the UCC, even as AAP has extended ‘in principle’ support to the code. The perception that it would be Hindu-centric has triggered doubts and apprehensions among the minorities. The UCC can gain credibility and acceptability only if it encapsulates the spirit of Article 25, which guarantees freedom of religion, and is aimed at doing away with regressive practices in various religions. An ideal code ought to be reformatory. It’s hoped that the Centre will take into consideration the views of all stakeholders while drafting the UCC.
(The Hindu)