Public will force even non-BJP state govts to implement UCC: Law Minister Meghwal
After Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Assam pass UCC bills, Union Law Minister asserts civil laws must apply equally to all citizens regardless of religion
New Delhi: Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has said Opposition-ruled states would be pressured by the public to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), asserting that the idea has long enjoyed constitutional backing.
Speaking on the passage of UCC legislations in BJP-ruled Assam, Gujarat and Uttarakhand, Meghwal, in an interview to PTI Thursday, said it was a “good thing” that three states had already moved ahead and several others had formed committees to examine the issue.
“Three states have already done it, that is a good thing. Now ot, Telangana Todayher states have also formed committees. This issue has been discussed for a very long time,” he said.
“When the Constitution was being framed, this demand existed and Babasaheb Ambedkar had also said the country should move in this direction. But the leaders of that time decided to leave it for later, and it was placed under the Directive Principles,” the minister said.
The UCC refers to the idea of a common set of civil laws governing matters such as marriage, divorce, adoption, succession and inheritance for all citizens, irrespective of religion.
Article 44 of the Constitution, part of the Directive Principles of State Policy, states that “the State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India”. While Directive Principles are non-justiciable, they are regarded as fundamental in governance and policymaking.
Asked whether a central law should eventually be enacted if some states fail to take the lead, Meghwal said public opinion would act as a catalyst. “I believe the people there will also ask their governments why they are not doing it,” he said.
Meghwal said his position should not be construed as the Union government leaving the issue entirely to the people rather than taking the lead.
“Why will the people not ask for it? They will. You are trying to ask about states where the BJP is not in power. Even in states where the BJP is not in power, people are saying the country should move in this direction,” he said.
The minister accused the Opposition of spreading misconceptions about the UCC, particularly among tribal communities.
“People are spreading confusion that the law will also apply to tribal communities. It has been clarified that tribal traditions and customs are a separate matter,” he said.
Meghwal said that the broader principle behind the UCC was the equal application of civil law. “If I violate a law, action should not depend on my religion. Civil laws should apply equally to everyone. That is the main issue here,” he added.
He alleged that critics were attempting to distort the debate by claiming marriages, customs and cultural practices would be disrupted. “They are saying your traditions will break, your culture will break. That is not the issue at all,” he said.
The remarks come amid renewed debate over the implementation of the UCC after BJP-ruled Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam moved ahead with UCC legislation in recent months.
Uttarakhand operationalised a UCC earlier this year after the legislation was passed by the state assembly in 2024. The law provides for uniform rules governing marriage, divorce, inheritance and live-in relationships across communities, while excluding Scheduled Tribes from its ambit.
Gujarat passed the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026, in March. The legislation proposes a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships, irrespective of religion, and includes provisions such as a ban on polygamy and mandatory registration of live-in relationships, while exempting Scheduled Tribes.
Assam this week passed its UCC Bill in the assembly, becoming the third BJP-ruled state to do so. The legislation includes provisions banning polygamy, mandating registration of marriages and live-in relationships, and introducing uniform rules on succession and inheritance.
