This refers to the editorial, “Review personal laws” (March 30). Sadly, despite several decades of long discussion, the Uniform Civil Code has not yet seen the light of the day. This is because our country has multiple religious communities which by no stretch of imagination seem, save the liberals, to be compromising on their respective religious personal laws even as they enjoy the constitutional right to cling follow those laws. The Shah Bano case is a testimony to it.
With regards to a spate of cases of gender discrimination against women, it is a matter of great concern and the Supreme Court has already directed the Union Government to present a panel's report on Muslim personal law dealing with such biases. Now, the ball is in the apex court, which has to take a final call. However, the Union Government will have to always face a slew of political compulsions while handling sensitive matters like these.