The Maharashtra government has constituted a seven-member committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai to prepare draft legislation for implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the panel has been given six months to submit its recommendations, after which the government plans to introduce a UCC Bill during the winter session of the state legislature. Addressing the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday, Fadnavis said the committee would examine the legal and administrative framework required to introduce a common set of laws governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, succession and adoption.

The proposed legislation aims to establish a uniform legal framework applicable across communities, replacing religion-specific personal laws in areas covered by the code. “The committee will submit its report within six months. Based on its recommendations, the government is planning to introduce a Bill on the Uniform Civil Code during the winter session of the state legislature,” Fadnavis said. The move fulfils one of the Bharatiya Janata Party's key policy commitments and comes amid similar initiatives in other BJP-ruled states. Maharashtra has become the latest BJP-governed state to constitute a committee under Justice (Retd.) Ranjana Desai to examine the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code.

The retired Supreme Court judge has also been associated with similar exercises undertaken by other states seeking to frame UCC legislation within their respective jurisdictions. The push for state-level UCC legislation has gained momentum over the past two years. Rajasthan recently initiated the process of drafting a Uniform Civil Code, becoming the fifth BJP-ruled state to take formal steps in that direction. Earlier, Uttarakhand became the first state in the country to enact a UCC law in February 2024, setting a precedent for similar legislative initiatives elsewhere. Following Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam have also moved forward with plans to implement a Uniform Civil Code this year.

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Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh has constituted its own committee to prepare draft legislation and is expected to introduce a Bill in the state assembly later this month. In all states that have initiated the UCC process so far, tribal communities have been kept outside the ambit of the proposed common civil framework. Governments have cited constitutional protections available to Scheduled Tribes and the need to preserve their customary practices and traditional legal systems while framing the proposed laws. The Uniform Civil Code remains one of the most debated legal and political issues in India. Supporters argue that a common civil law would promote equality before the law and ensure uniform rights in matters relating to marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance and succession, regardless of religion.

Critics, however, contend that personal laws are closely linked to religious freedom and cultural identity, raising concerns over the impact of a uniform legal framework on minority communities. The Maharashtra committee is expected to consult legal experts, stakeholders and community representatives before finalising its recommendations. Its report will form the basis for the state's proposed UCC legislation, which the government intends to place before the legislature during the upcoming winter session. The move is likely to intensify the national debate on the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code as more states explore similar legislative reforms.

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