On Sunday, Uttarakhand took a significant stride towards being the pioneer state to enact the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), as the state cabinet, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, approved the draft report submitted by the five-member UCC committee. The committee, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai, had presented its findings to the chief minister just two days prior.
This development coincides with the upcoming special two-day assembly session, announced by the BJP government on January 26, specifically to deliberate on the implementation of the UCC. The report is slated to be presented in the assembly on Tuesday, the final day of the session. With the ruling party holding 47 out of 70 seats in the house, a smooth passage of the UCC bill is anticipated.
Following approval in the assembly, the legislation will be forwarded to the Governor, the state's constitutional head, for final endorsement. Once sanctioned by the Governor, it will be enacted into law. The commitment to UCC implementation was a key element in the BJP's manifesto for the 2022 Uttarakhand assembly elections, culminating in the party's successful re-election. As per the Constitution of India, the Uniform Civil Code falls within the ambit of non-justiciable directive principles of state policy.