Uniform Civil Code Committee to submit draft report to Uttarakhand government today

"The committee formed to prepare the draft for the purpose of implementing the Uniform Civil Code will submit the draft today at 11 a.m. in Dehradun. After reviewing this, we will move forward in the direction of implementing the Uniform Civil Code in the state by bringing a bill in the upcoming assembly session. Today is an important day for all the people of the state, when we are going to move forward with more strength by realizing the vision of 'Ek Bharat-Shrestha Bharat' of the country's illustrious Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Uttarakhnad Chief Minister Dhami posted on X.

Earlier, the Uttarakhand government had committed that it would present the Uniform Civil Code Bill in the state assembly during a special session.

"Committee has given us the date of February 2, when they would submit their draft (on UCC) to us. After that, the formalities that are needed to make it law will be taken up. A meeting of the state cabinet will also be held. We will discuss it there too. The assembly session will begin on 5th February...It is a special session for UCC. The Bill will be introduced during the session and will be passed," Chief Minister Dhami told ANI.

With the assembly session scheduled from the February 5 the government will now place the bill in the house during the session.

The Uttarakhand Assembly session will be held from February 5 to 8, according to a notification by the Secretariat of the Assembly. Apart from this, the government will also present a bill in the House for a 10 per cent horizontal reservation in government services for the state agitators and their dependents.

Uttarakhand had constituted a panel on the Uniform Civil Code under Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai on May 27, 2022. The UCC was promised to the people of the state in the run-up to the 2022 assembly polls in Uttarakhand.

Article 44 of the Constitution of India says that the state shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) throughout the territory of India.

The UCC proposes a common set of laws dealing with marriage, inheritance, adoption, and other matters. The UCC, which had been a hot topic that had polarised opinions over the last four years, hit the forefront in June last year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong case for the implementation of uniform legislation in an address in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal. (ANI)