UNIFORM CIVIL CODE: The Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dham, on Monday said that 90 percent of the work has been completed by a committee formed by his government to prepare a draft of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for the hill state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promised a uniform civil code during the election rallies in the run-up to the state assembly elections in 2022, which it won. Dhami formed the five-member committee days after taking oath in May last year.
Talking to reporters at Kashipur in Udham Singh Nagar district, Dhami said on Monday that the panel headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai has completed 90 percent of the work related to the drafting of the code.
"The committee assigned the task of drafting the UCC has said it will be submitted by June 30 after which we will take steps to implement it," Dhami said. "We also expect other states to follow our example and introduce a Uniform Civil Code."
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The Uttarakhand Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of 113 development projects worth Rs 355 crore in Dehradun. "We will take every decision that is in the interest of the state," Dhami said.
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Dhami also said that the projects relating to drinking water and electricity will accelerate the development of Kashipur.
The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) resonates with the formulation of one law for India that would be applicable to all religious matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption. The term is mentioned in Part 4, Article 44 of the Indian Constitution. Article 44 states, "The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India."
This issue has been at the focal point in Indian politics for over a decade now, and debate on its implementation has always been at the forefront.
The former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur, also called UCC a necessity and reiterated the party's commitment to its implementation.
(With input from agencies)