The committee also includes retired senior bureaucrat CL Meena, senior advocate RC Kodekar, former vice chancellor Dr Dakshesh Thakar and social activist Geeta Shroff.
Gujarat is set to move a draft Bill on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state Assembly on March 24, a day before the ongoing budget session concludes, government sources said.
The move comes after a panel headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai submitted the UCC report to chief minister Bhupendra Patel on Tuesday morning. The report prioritises equal rights and protection of women and emphasises geographical and cultural diversity of Gujarat.
The sources stated that the draft Bill has been approved to be included in the business of the House in the Business Advisory Committee meeting held Tuesday. If passed, Gujarat will become only the second state after Uttarakhand to implement a uniform civil code.
Also, the state government plans to move three other Bills on the last two days of the budget session.
Following the submission of the draft report, chief minister Bhupendra Patel in a post on X stated, “The high-level committee formed under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai for the implementation of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Gujarat submitted its detailed and final report to the state government…”
The presentation made while submitting the report to the CM stated that the committee has suggested a common legal framework for all religions and communities on issues like marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption, the government authorities stated.
“The committee has suggested a uniform legal framework for all religions and communities on issues like marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption in this draft report. In particular, equal rights and protection of women have been given priority in this draft. The geographical and cultural diversity of Gujarat has also been kept in mind in this report,” the CM’s post read.
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The committee also includes retired senior bureaucrat CL Meena, senior advocate RC Kodekar, former vice chancellor Dr Dakshesh Thakar and social activist Geeta Shroff.
The advisor of the committee, former chief secretary of Uttarakhand Shatrughan Singh, and members chief secretary MK Das, principal secretary to the chief minister Sanjeev Kumar, additional principal secretary to the chief minister Dr Vikrant Pandey, secretary of legislative affairs KN Lala, law secretary Upendra Bhatt and other concerned officials were present at the time of the submission.
Ritu Sharma is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express' Gujarat bureau, an editorial position that reflects her experience and Authority in regional journalism. With over a decade of concentrated reporting experience, she is a highly Trustworthy and specialized journalist, especially noted for her Expertise in the education sector across Gujarat and previously Chandigarh.
Expertise
Primary Authority (Education): With over ten years of dedicated reporting on education in both Gujarat and Chandigarh, Ritu Sharma is a foremost authority on educational policy, institutional governance, and ground realities from "KG to PG." Her coverage includes:
Higher Education: In-depth scrutiny of top institutions like IIM-Ahmedabad (controversies over demolition/restoration of heritage architecture), IIT-Bombay (caste discrimination issues), and new initiatives like international branch campuses in GIFT City.
Schooling & Policy: Detailed coverage of government schemes (Gyan Sadhana School Voucher Scheme), the implementation and impact of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, teacher recruitment issues, and the impact of national policies like the NEP.
Student Welfare: Reporting on critical issues such as suicide allegations due to caste discrimination, and the challenges faced by students (e.g., non-delivery of NAMO tablets). ... Read More
