The President has not yet approved the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bills that were passed earlier this year by the state assemblies of Assam, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. This delay leaves the future of the UCC in these states uncertain as discussions continue regarding its implications.
West Bengal has announced that it will soon have a law for Uniform Civil Code. In the interregnum it drafted exhaustive rules that defined powers of different set of officials for implementation of the law. The Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra governments have constituted expert panels to finalise a state specific UCC draft. Odisha is in the process of constituting a committee to draft a UCC law.
Uttarakhand was the first state to implement a state-specific UCC on January 27, 2025, ten months after the President’s approved. The President’s approval of the draft UCC law came 32 days after the bill was passed in the state assembly on February 7, 2024. Among other BJP ruled states, the Rajasthan government tabled the UCC Bill in the Assembly on August 21 but it is yet to be taken up for discussion. The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has promised UCC if it comes back to power in 2027.
JD (U) working president, Sanjay Jha, on Monday said that the party with speak to home minister Shah on UCC implementation. “The bill has been reserved and referred to the President by the Governor. “The bill has been sent for President’s approval. The BJP’s alliance partners in Nagaland and Meghalaya have opposed UCC’s implementation. He, however, acknowledged that certain aspects of civil laws can be made uniform. The party is committed to bring UCC.
The Gujarat assembly passed the UCC bill on March 24, 2026, and referred it to governor the following week. Soon after coming back to power in this summer assembly polls, the Assam assembly passed the UCC on May 27 with the draft bill prepared in about 10 days. The Assam UCC bill excluded scheduled tribes, which comprise 12.45% of the population in the state. In Madhya Pradesh, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill was passed in the legislative assembly on July 21 and the following day it was sent for President’s approval, according to officials familiar with the matter. Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio had sought exemption for Nagaland from UCC and said in September 2023 that UCC can threaten unique Naga culture and customs. Earlier reporting noted: UCC buzz in UP: BJP prepares pitch, allies walk a tightrope LUCKNOW Following Union home minister Amit Shah’s strong pitch for implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across all 21 BJP-led NDA states before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, the contentious issue has returned to the political conversation in UP, where assembly elections are due early next year. The UCC represents the final pillar of its core ideological troika, following the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K. Earlier reporting noted: “The UCC has always been part of BJP’s core goal and election manifesto like the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K.
We are hopeful that it will be soon approved,” a Gujarat government official said. We are waiting for the response,” a senior government official said. “We are waiting for the President’s nod and we are confident of getting the approval soon,” a General Administration Department (GAD) official said. TDP spokesperson Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, said the party will discuss the issue with all stakeholders when the time will come. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Chirag Paswan said his party was committed to “uniformity and diversity” within Constitutional framework. In January 2025, Meghalaya chief minister, Conrad Sangama, had said that UCC was neither “appropriate nor practical” for a diverse country like India. Now, after union home minister’s statement, the state government will move in this direction,” said Dinesh Pratap Singh, chief spokesperson, state BJP.
Earlier reporting noted: For the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the path is clear.
