Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approves Uniform Civil Code Bill, to be tabled in Assembly
The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet on Sunday approved the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill during a special meeting held at Jagdishpur near Bhopal, paving the way for its introduction in the upcoming session of the state Assembly.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav described the decision as a historic step towards ensuring equality and uniformity in personal laws. He said the proposed legislation does not violate the fundamental rights of citizens and aims to provide equal opportunities and rights to all communities.
The Chief Minister said the draft Bill was prepared after extensive consultations conducted by a committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The panel held discussions across districts and divisions of the state and also interacted with political parties and social organisations.
Addressing the media, Yadav said the UCC was based on the principle of equality before the law. He asserted that the legislation aligns with the vision of "one nation, one law" and is intended to ensure equal legal rights irrespective of religion.
The Chief Minister also claimed that a significant number of participants, including women from the Muslim community, expressed support for the proposed law during the consultation process. He criticised the Congress for not participating in the public consultations, while noting that representatives from other political parties attended the meetings.
The Bill will now be placed before the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly for discussion and passage, making the state the next to move towards implementing a Uniform Civil Code after Uttarakhand.
