MP Cabinet nod for UCC
The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet on Sunday unanimously approved the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026, paving the way for its introduction in the State Assembly during the five-day Monsoon Session beginning Monday. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a common legal framework governing personal and family matters across communities while exempting Scheduled Tribes (STs) from its ambit.
The decision was taken at a special Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav at Jagdishpur, near Bhopal. Announcing the approval, Yadav described it as a landmark step and said the draft had been prepared after extensive consultations with all sections of society and had received broad public support.
Under the draft, the minimum legal age for marriage will remain 21 years for men and 18 years for women, while registration of all marriages will be mandatory.
The Bill also proposes a complete ban on polygamy and multiple marriages across communities and seeks to declare practices such as nikah halala illegal and punishable under law.
After the meeting, talking to mediapersons, the CM said, “The Uniform Civil Code reflects the principle of equality rooted in Indian culture and constitutional values. I congratulate my Cabinet colleagues and the people of Madhya Pradesh. The Bill is now ready to be introduced in the Assembly.”
The proposed legislation aims to replace separate personal laws governing matters such as marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance, adoption, succession and live-in relationships with a uniform legal framework applicable to all citizens, except members of STs.
The draft was prepared by a Government-appointed committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai. The multi-member panel was tasked with examining existing personal laws and family-related legal practices before framing recommendations suited to Madhya Pradesh’s social, cultural and economic conditions.
The committee recommended that STs (Adivasis) be kept outside the ambit of the proposed law, taking into account constitutional safeguards and existing customary practices. It also emphasised gender equality while ensuring that religious ceremonies, traditional customs and cultural practices remain unaffected.
According to the State Government, the committee’s recommendations seek to balance constitutional principles with local traditions and public policy while creating a uniform legal framework that guarantees equal rights to all citizens.
The Bill will now be introduced in the Assembly, where it will be debated and considered before being put to vote. If passed, Madhya Pradesh will become one of the few states to enact a UCC, following Uttarakhand, which implemented a similar law earlier.
