Preparations to implement Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand have been completed. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that he will soon announce the dates for implementing UCC. Former Chief Justice (CJI) and Rajya Sabha MP have said that UCC law is necessary for the unity of the country. He has appealed to create a consensus in the country before its implementation. Justice Gogoi said these things in support of UCC at the Surat Literature Festival.
Justice Gogoi expressed his views on UCC in conversation with Prafulla Ketkar, editor of the organization’s mouthpiece Organiser. He said, “I consider UCC to be a progressive law. This will bring about changes in many traditions which have now become law. There is no doubt that this is the goal enshrined in the Constitution and we have to achieve it.”
Justice Gogoi said, “I think this (UCC) is an important step for the unity of the country. This will provide social justice. It should be made clear that UCC does not violate Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution (right to religious freedom). This will be related to matters like marriage, divorce and inheritance. It is working well in Goa.”
He further said, “I think it is important to build consensus for this law and stop the spread of misinformation. The Supreme Court has asked on 5 occasions, including in the Shahbano case, what the Center is doing on the issue of UCC. The Supreme Court will not issue orders in this matter.”
Justice Gogoi further said, “I want to say one thing to the MPs and government of this country that they should not rush into this law. Build consensus, tell the people of this country what UCC actually is. A section of the society will always say that he will not understand, he will do such drama, leave him.” You can listen to this conversation of Justice Gogoi from 4 hours 2 minutes to 5 hours 3 minutes in the video below.
Apart from Justice Gogoi, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also given a statement regarding UCC. He said, “Our promise in the 2022 elections was that if we win, we will bring the UCC law. After winning, we had promised the people of Uttarakhand in 2022 that we will bring the UCC bill as soon as our government is formed.”
He said, “We came up with this. The committee drafted it, it was passed in the Assembly, the President approved it and it also became a law. The training process is also almost complete. After analyzing everything, we will soon announce the dates for its implementation.”
#WATCH Dehradun | On UCC, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says, "We had promised the people of Uttarakhand in 2022 that we will bring the UCC Bill as soon as our government is formed. We brought it. The draft committee drafted it, it was passed, the President approved it and… pic.twitter.com/H2hjD1qoi6
— ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2025
It is noteworthy that the UCC law was approved in the Uttarakhand Assembly in February 2024. After this, President Draupadi Murmu also approved it. Its training and regulation process has also been completed.
