Ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament, which is set to begin on July 20 and during which the Modi Government is expected to table a bill on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the parliamentary panel on law held an important meeting on the issue on Monday.
Panel chairman and BJP MP Sushil Modi advocated keeping the tribals of the North East out of the purview of the UCC.
The committee, headed by Modi, had called representatives from the Law Commission and the Law Ministry to discuss a recent notice issued by the law panel seeking the views of stakeholders on the issue of a uniform civil code.
According to sources, some Opposition members questioned the Law Commission’s decision to initiate consultations on this contentious issue. Most Opposition members, including those from the Congress and the DMK, linked the push for a UCC to the upcoming Lok Sabha polls next year. Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut pointed out that many countries have a common civil law but emphasised the need to address the concerns of different communities and regions. He also questioned the timing of the consultation.
Congress MP Vivek Tankha and DMK MP P Wilson submitted separate written statements questioning the Law Commission’s move to invite suggestions on the UCC from the public and other stakeholders. They highlighted that the previous Law Commission, whose term ended on August 31, 2018, had described the UCC as “neither necessary nor desirable” at this stage. Congress’ Manickam Tagore also questioned the intent behind the move and connected it to the upcoming polls.
However, BJP’s Mahesh Jethmalani strongly defended the UCC, citing debates in the constituent assembly and asserting its historical significance. Sushil, in his comments, advocated for excluding tribals, including those in the North East, from the scope of any proposed UCC, emphasising that all laws have exceptions. It was also noted in the meeting that certain central laws do not apply in some N-E States without their concurrence.
Law Commission officials stated that they have received around 19 lakh suggestions thus far since the consultation process began following a public notice on June 13. The consultation will continue until July 13. Approximately 17 out of 31 members of the panel attended the meeting.
In other news, the BJP-ruled state of Uttarakhand has completed its expert committee report on the UCC and aims to be the first State to implement it.