Suvendu Adhikari Govt To Table UCC Bill In Assembly Next Week, West Bengal Next On Uniform Civil Code Path After Uttarakhand, Gujarat And Assam

Kolkata: The Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government in West Bengal is set to introduce a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the state Assembly next week, signalling its intent to deliver on a key electoral commitment. The BJP government is expected to move ahead with the UCC bill after the party’s landslide victory that ended the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule, with the BJP winning 207 seats initially and later 208 after the Falta repoll.

After the passing of the legislation in the Assembly, West Bengal will join Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam as BJP-ruled states pursuing a common set of civil laws. The proposed code aims to replace religion-based personal laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and succession with uniform rules for all citizens, regardless of faith. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised during the release of the party’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ that a UCC would be brought in within 6 months of the BJP forming government in the state.

Notably, Uttarakhand was the first to enact a UCC law in February 2024, followed by Gujarat and Assam, which introduced their own versions earlier this year. The development would place Bengal in line with the party’s bigger push for a common civil code across BJP-governed states.

The UCC featured prominently in the BJP’s campaign ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. The bill’s tabling next week is being seen as the first legislative step towards fulfilling that promise.

Poll Pledge To Assembly Floor

The BJP’s commitment to a common civil code was a key plank of the party’s election campaign as it sought to end Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule in West Bengal. The party went on to win 207 of the 293 seats declared in the Assembly polls, bringing down the curtain on the TMC’s 15-year tenure. The BJP’s strength later rose to 208 after it secured victory in the Falta Assembly repoll, while the TMC was reduced to 80 seats.

The officials stated that the proposed UCC would seek to unify laws relating to marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and succession under one framework applicable to all citizens, irrespective of their faith. The move comes after Uttarakhand’s pioneering legislation in February 2024, with Gujarat and Assam following suit earlier this year.

Importance Of UCC For West Bengal

Tabling the bill by the Suvendu Adhikari government represents both a legal and political milestone, as it will translate the BJP’s campaign assurance into legislative action within the 6-month window promised by Amit Shah during the launch of the ‘Sankalp Patra’.

Though West Bengal is poised to join Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam on the UCC path, the bill is likely to stir massive debate in the Assembly and beyond. The government’s move is expected to shape discussions around personal law reform and citizenship rights in the state in the months ahead, as the BJP seeks to consolidate its first-ever mandate in Bengal after ending the TMC’s long hold on power.

Further details are awaited.