The BJP-led government in West Bengal is set to table the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the state Assembly on Monday, less than two months after ending the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari confirmed the move on Friday, stating that the same procedure followed in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Assam would be adopted for implementation.
Legislation aims to replace religion-based personal laws
The proposed legislation seeks to replace religion-based personal laws governing marriage, divorce, succession, inheritance and adoption with a common legal framework applicable to all citizens, while retaining constitutional exemptions for certain categories. The Bill is expected to dominate the ongoing Budget session and spark a major ideological debate over identity, equality, secularism and constitutional rights.
For the BJP, the Bill fulfills a core electoral commitment and asserts its long-standing position that all citizens should be governed by the same set of civil laws. For the opposition, it raises questions about social consensus and constitutional safeguards.
Move ahead of six-month deadline
The move comes well ahead of the six-month deadline promised by the BJP in its 'Sankalp Patra' ahead of the Assembly elections. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had pledged during the manifesto launch that a BJP government would implement the UCC in West Bengal within six months of assuming office, projecting it as a measure to ensure equality before law irrespective of faith.
CM Suvendu Adhikari formally signaled the government's intention to proceed with the legislation during the current session. "The way it (UCC) was implemented in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Assam by following a procedure. Similarly, it will be implemented in West Bengal. I will inform the Assembly on Monday," he said.
State BJP president reassures tribal communities
Ahead of the Bill's introduction, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya sought to address concerns, asserting that constitutionally protected tribal communities would remain outside its ambit. "The BJP's position on the UCC is longstanding and unequivocal. It is part of our political commitment and election manifesto," Bhattacharya said in a social media post on Saturday.
He said members of Scheduled Tribes recognised under Articles 366(25) and 342 of the Constitution would remain exempt, and their customs and special rights would continue to be protected. Bhattacharya also rejected allegations linking the legislation to family-size regulation, saying such provisions were "neither the objective nor a part of the UCC."
Opposition gears up for resistance
Opposition parties have termed the issue as much a political question as a legal one. At a strategy meeting on Friday, TMC chairperson and former CM Mamata Banerjee directed the party to mount aggressive resistance to the Bill inside and outside the Assembly, arguing that it raises questions about constitutional morality and India's plural character.
Senior TMC leaders accused the BJP of using the legislation as a political instrument. "The question is whether the UCC is genuinely being brought for the welfare of citizens and constitutional values, or whether it is being used as an instrument of political polarisation," a senior TMC leader said.
Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee also questioned the government's urgency. "I don't understand what the hurry is. A matter like the UCC requires extensive discussion and consultation," he said, arguing that legislation affecting personal laws should not be rushed without broader public debate.
