UCC Bill West Bengal: Retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai To Head Panel Drafting Uniform Civil Code
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai would draft the Uniform Civil Code Bill before it is placed before the State Cabinet and introduced in the Assembly
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai will head the committee drafting the State's Uniform Civil Code Bill
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday announced that the State government will place the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) before the Cabinet on July 2, following which the proposed legislation will be introduced in the Legislative Assembly during its August session.
Making the announcement in the Assembly during the ongoing Budget Session, Adhikari said the government has formally initiated the legislative process for implementing a Uniform Civil Code in the State and remains committed to fulfilling its electoral promise. "The draft of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be placed before the State Cabinet on July 2. After the Cabinet's approval, the Bill will be tabled in the Assembly in August," the Chief Minister said.
Committee Headed by former Supreme Court Judge
To prepare the legislation, the government has constituted a committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd.) Ranjana Prakash Desai.
According to the Chief Minister, the committee includes legal experts, educationists, a social worker and an IAS officer. It has been tasked with examining various aspects of the proposed law and submitting its report within one month.
"The committee has been given one month to submit its report. Once the committee's report is received, the Bill will be tabled in the Assembly in August," Adhikari informed the House.
He added that the panel would function as a task force and examine nine key areas, including marriage, divorce, inheritance, child custody and adoption, while also inviting suggestions and representations from the public before finalising its recommendations.
Reaffirming the BJP government's commitment, Adhikari stated that the State would proceed with implementing the Uniform Civil Code after completing the legislative process.
"The government is committed to introducing the UCC Bill, and the Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in Bengal under any circumstances," he said.
Addressing opposition protests in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said the proposed law would draw from the experience of States that have already initiated similar reforms. "We will bring this Bill after examining the examples of Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam. Ancient tribal communities and indigenous people will remain outside the purview of the UCC Bill," he said.
He further clarified that stakeholders opposing or supporting the proposal would have an opportunity to present their views before the committee before it submits its report.
UCC and Constitutional Framework
The Uniform Civil Code seeks to replace religion based personal laws governing matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and succession with a common civil law applicable to all citizens. The proposal traces its constitutional basis to Article 44 of the Constitution, one of the Directive Principles of State Policy, which urges the State to endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code throughout India.
At present, personal matters are governed by separate laws applicable to different religious communities, including the Hindu Marriage Act and Muslim Personal Law.
Announcement comes after Public Safety Bill passed
The announcement came shortly after the Assembly passed the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti Social Activities Bill, 2026, with 176 members voting in favour and 41 against.
According to the State government, the legislation seeks to strengthen the administration's powers to curb organised criminal activities and anti social elements after concluding that the existing legal framework had become inadequate.
In the Statement of Objects and Reasons accompanying the Bill, the government said certain sections of society had been engaging in activities posing a serious threat to the lives and property of citizens, making it necessary to introduce stronger statutory measures to prevent such offences.
The BJP had promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code within six months if elected to power in West Bengal. Monday's announcement marks the formal commencement of the legislative process towards fulfilling that commitment.
In a related news, the State Minister Dilip Ghosh asserted that the proposed legislation is certain to be passed in the state assembly, signalling the government's continued commitment to introducing a common civil law framework in the state. Speaking to reporters, Ghosh had said the passage of the UCC Bill was only a matter of time and procedure, noting that several other states have already enacted similar legislation. “The UCC bill is bound to be passed. It has been passed in many states, and the process has begun here as well. It is up to the government to decide the next steps, when the bill will be introduced and what will happen,” he said.
These remarks follow an announcement made by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday, when he declared that the Uniform Civil Code would be implemented in West Bengal following models adopted by Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Assam. Adhikari also stated that a committee headed by a sitting inquiry authority had already been constituted to examine the modalities of implementation and recommend a framework suited to the state.