Source : INDIATV NEWS
In a significant move, the Uttarakhand Cabinet approved the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) manual during a meeting held at the state secretariat on Monday. As per officials, this development came after a meticulous review of the manual by the legislative department. Speaking about the approval, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emphasised the government’s commitment to fulfilling its promises made ahead of the 2022 elections.
“We had promised the people of Uttarakhand in 2022 that we would bring the UCC Bill as soon as our government was formed. We brought it. The draft committee drafted it, it was passed, the President approved it and it became an act. The process of training is also almost complete… After analysing everything, we will announce the dates soon,” Dhami told the media after the meeting.
Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code
It should be noted here that the BJP government had introduced the UCC Bill during a special session of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly on February 6 last year and it was passed with a comfortable majority a day later on February 7. Following the Uttarakhand Assembly, the UCC Bill was passed in February, and President Droupadi Murmu signed it on March 13, paving the way for Uttarakhand to become the first state in India to enact the UCC.
The Uniform Civil Code seeks to establish a set of uniform personal laws that apply to all citizens, regardless of religion, gender, or caste. This would cover aspects such as marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance, and succession.
What does the Constitution say on Uniform Civil Code?
Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, which comes under the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP), states that “The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India”. Articles 36 to 51 under Part-IV of the Constitution deal with the DPSP which is a unique feature of the Constitution that guides the country towards the establishment of an equitable society.
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