Why Maharashtra govt is pushing for uniform civil code

Summary

The Maharashtra government, in a step towards ensuring uniformity in civil laws across religions, has announced the formation of a seven-member committee, under retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai, to draft a uniform civil code (UCC) for the state. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement in the recent monsoon session of the legislature in Mumbai. The committee will also include former Bombay High Court judges Justice R.C. Chavan (retired) and Justice S.G. Mehare (retired), former chief secretary D.K. Jain, former advocate general of Maharashtra Birendra Saraf, Padma awardee and senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker Ramesh Patange and social activist Suvarna Rawal. She is also part of the committee formed by the government of West Bengal to examine a draft UCC bill for the state. “The directive principles of state policy as contained in the Constitution of India say that every state must consider preparing a uniform civil code,” Fadnavis told the state legislature. The proposed legislation is expected to cover matters such as marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance and succession, irrespective of caste and religion. Gujarat subsequently passed its own UCC legislation, followed by Assam. Dalwai, an author and founder of the Indian Secular Society, had organised a morcha at the state administrative headquarters in April 1966 by Muslim women at the receiving end of oral, one-sided divorce.