UCC a BJP manifesto promise, govt committed to it: Arjun Ram Meghwal

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal welcomed UCC implementation efforts, calling it a key BJP manifesto promise. His remarks came as the West Bengal government reportedly formed a nine-member committee to examine and finalise a draft UCC for the state.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Monday said the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was a key promise in the BJP's election manifesto and welcomed the ongoing efforts to implement it, asserting that the government was committed to fulfilling its commitments to the people.

Speaking to ANI here, Meghwal said the UCC had already been implemented in some states and that other states were taking steps in that direction. "The UCC was also a part of our manifesto. UCC already exists in Goa, Uttarakhand, and there are some other states that are taking initiatives. We had also promised it to the people in the Bengal elections. The present government is working to fulfil the promises we made in the manifesto. I congratulate them for that," he said.

West Bengal Forms Expert Committee on UCC

His remarks come after the West Bengal government constituted a nine-member expert committee headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to examine and finalise the draft Uniform Civil Code. The state government plans to introduce the proposed legislation during the upcoming August Assembly session.

The committee comprises legal experts, former judges, bureaucrats and representatives from the social sector, who will examine various aspects of the draft law before submitting their recommendations. The committee also includes former Bombay High Court Justice RC Chavan, former High Court Justice SG Mehere, former Chief Secretary of Maharashtra DK Jain, former Advocate General of Maharashtra Birendra Saraf, social activist Padmashri Ramesh Patange, and educationist Suvarna Rawal as core members.

According to the state government, the proposed legislation will exempt indigenous communities. The committee comprises former judges, legal experts, bureaucrats and representatives from the social sector, who will examine various aspects of the proposed law before submitting their recommendations.

Earlier, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had announced that the draft UCC would be introduced in the Assembly during the August session after completion of the necessary procedural steps. He had said the committee would begin its work and submit its recommendations to the government. (ANI)

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