Today in Politics: Kuki-Zo community’s rally in Manipur, among the largest since violence broke out in state

The protests are also being organised to reiterate the demand for a separate administration and to press for other demands. The student bodies have also urged all business establishments, government offices and private institutions to remain shut during the protest.

The Manipur government has instructed all the authorities to take necessary precautionary measures to avoid untoward incidents.

Naga groups have opposed the rally within the Naga areas in the interest of maintaining “peace and tranquillity”.

Law Commission’s term ends

The term of the 22nd Law Commission ends Saturday.

Its key report on the Uniform Civil Code is still in the works, while the report on simultaneous elections is ready and is pending submission to the law ministry.

Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, who headed the 22nd law panel, was appointed a member of the anti-corruption watchdog Lokpal in March and the Law commission has been running without a chairperson for the past few months.

Last year, the outgoing commission had initiated fresh consultations on the UCC.

Why this is important: In his latest Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a fresh push for a common code asserting that a “secular civil code” is the need of the hour for the country. He also described the existing set of laws as “communal civil code” and termed them discriminatory.

The UCC and the abrogation of Article 370 – which the party implemented immediately after it returned to power with a higher seat tally after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls – precede every other agenda of the BJP.

The UCC has already been tabled in Uttarakhand. Other BJP states are expected to follow suit.

Also Happening:

It looks like a packed Saturday for political leaders.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off two Vande Bharat train services via video-conferencing, the Southern Railways have said in a statement on Friday.

The two new services are from the Dr MGR Chennai Central station to Nagercoil and between Madurai and Bengaluru Cantonment.

The PM will also inaugurate a two-day long national conference of district judiciary beginning Saturday.

In Karnataka, the ruling Congress has given a call for a march to the state’s Raj Bhavan on Saturday against Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s sanction for prosecuting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority site allotment scam.

The party will also stage protests at the district level, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara told reporters on Friday.

— With PTI inputs