In the monsoon session of the parliament, set to begin next month, the government could well table a draft uniform civil code, an India Today report said citing highly placed sources.
This comes after a parliamentary standing committee called representatives of the Law Commission and the law ministry on July 3 on a recent notice issued by the law panel seeking views of stakeholders on the issue of a uniform civil code.
According to the schedule of the standing committee on law and personnel, it will hear the views of representatives of the law panel and legal affairs and legislative departments of the law ministry "on public notice issued by the Law Commission of India on June 14, 2023, inviting views from the various stakeholders on the Uniform Civil Code, under the subject 'Review of Personal Laws'".
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for the uniform civil code (UCC), saying the Constitution also mentions of having equal rights for all citizens. Modi said the opposition is using the issue of UCC to mislead and provoke the Muslim community.
Modi also stated that even the Supreme Court has advocated for a UCC, but those practising vote bank politics are opposing it, and asked how the country can have two systems, touching upon an issue closely identified with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with less than a year left for the Lok Sabha polls.
"Today people are being instigated in the name of UCC. How can the country run on two (laws)? The Constitution also talks of equal rights...Supreme Court has also asked to implement UCC. These (Opposition) people are playing vote bank politics," he said.
PM Modi's statement triggered a nationwide debate as several opposition leaders accused that he was raising the UCC issue for political gains as elections approach in several states. Congress leaders accused PM Modi of using the UCC issue as a diversion tactic from real problems like inflation, unemployment, and the situation in Manipur.
What is Uniform Civil Code?
The Uniform Civil Code is a proposal in India that is aimed at replacing personal laws based on religions, customs, and traditions with one common law for everyone irrespective of religion, cast, creed, sexual orientation, and gender. It is mentioned in part 4th of the constitution.
(With PTI inputs)