Nagaland Assembly unanimously rejects Uniform Civil Code, seeks exemption for the State

After Nagaland Chief Minister moved the resolution against UCC, the House unanimously adopted it and recommended to exempt Nagaland from the purview of the proposed law

Kohima: A day after all the members of Nagaland Assembly, including Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, strongly opposed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the House on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution against the proposed law.

After the Chief Minister moved the resolution against UCC, the House unanimously adopted it and recommended to exempt Nagaland from the purview of the proposed law. Rio said the Central government had appointed the 22nd Law Commission on February 21, 2020 whose term has been extended to August 31, 2024.

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The Law Commission had issued a public notice on June 14 inviting views and ideas from all the stakeholders on the UCC. Rio informed that the government of Nagaland, through a Cabinet decision, had submitted its views on the subject to the Law Commission on July 4, conveying its opposition to UCC on the grounds of the unique history of Nagaland and the constitutional guarantee given under Article 371 (A).

The Chief Minister stated that in the consultative meeting with various stakeholders on the UCC organised by the state government on September 1, the representatives of various Tribal Hohos and organisations had expressed their strong resentment and objection to the idea of having a UCC.

The state government’s view is that UCC would pose a threat to the customary laws, and social and religious practices, which would be in danger of encroachment in the event of imposition of UCC, Rio said. He added that Article 371(A) provides for the protection of the religious and social practices of the Nagas.