Page 2 - Law Commission

Wrong to discuss UCC now as its structure not yet known: Jayant Chaudhary

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Jayant Chaudhary on Monday said any discussion on a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) now is "wrong" as its "structure" is not known yet, but said men and women should get equal rights. RLD's alliance partner Samajwadi Party has slammed the government over UCC. "As of now, I do not know its 'swaroop' (structure). Discussing it now is wrong. In modern India, everyone should be given equal rights. Men and women should get equal rights. How the government does this job, this has to be seen," the RLD chief told reporters here when asked to comment on UCC. Chaudhary has made his remarks on UCC for the first time, said RLD's UP unit chief Ramashis Rai. A fresh debate on UCC has been ignited after the Law Commission initiated a public consultation process on June 14 by inviting views from all stakeholders, including people and recognised religious organisations, on the politically sensitive issue. Implementation of a UCC has been part of BJP election manifestos a

Parliamentary panel meets Law Commission, law ministry delegates on UCC

The parliamentary panel on law held an important meeting on the issue of the Uniform Civil Code here on Monday. The standing committee headed by BJP MP Sushil Modi has called representatives of the Law Commission and the law ministry on a recent notice issued by the law panel seeking views of stakeholders on the issue of a uniform civil code. According to the schedule of the standing committee on law and personnel, it has to hear the views of representatives of the law panel and legal affairs and legislative departments of the law ministry "on public notice issued by the Law Commission of India on 14th June 2023, inviting views from the various stakeholders on the Uniform Civil Code, under the subject Review of Personal Laws'".

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Parl panel calls representatives of Law Commission, law ministry on UCC

A parliamentary standing committee has called representatives of the Law Commission and the law ministry on July 3 on a recent notice issued by the law panel seeking views of stakeholders on the issue of a uniform civil code. According to the schedule of the standing committee on law and personnel, it will hear the views of representatives of the law panel and legal affairs and legislative departments of the law ministry "on public notice issued by the Law Commission of India on 14th June, 2023, inviting views from the various stakeholders on the Uniform Civil Code, under the subject Review of Personal Laws'". Till Tuesday evening, the law panel had received nearly 8.5 lakh responses on its public notice.

Isn't PM prejudging response of Law Commission: Khurshid on UCC remarks

Senior Congress leader and former law minister Salman Khurshid on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on uniform civil code, wondering if the PM is prejudging what the response of the Law Commission would be on the matter. Khurshid also asked whether a person in the position of prime minister should be showing his inclination on the issue as it would "distort" an objective opinion that the commission was to get on the matter. Neither the BJP, the prime minister nor the Law Commission have indicated why there needs to be a departure from the findings of the previous law commission, he said. "This is a commitment of the prime minister and his party and there is no problem with the PM taking up an issue like this but the problem is that when the Law Commission is asking for a response, isn't the PM prejudging what the response of the Law Commission will be after it gets feedback from the rest of the country," the Congress leader told PTI. "So, a person in

Law Commission has received 850,000 responses so far on UCC: Chairman

Amid a raging debate over the issue of Uniform Civil Code, Law Commission Chairman Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi on Wednesday said the panel has received 8.5 lakh responses within just two weeks of initiating a public consultation process on the matter. The Law Commission had on June 14 invited views from all stakeholders, including people and recognised religious organisations, on the politically sensitive issue. "The responses we have received till yesterday are approximately 8.5 lakh," Awasthi told PTI. A uniform civil code (UCC) typically means having a common law for all citizens of the country that is not based on religion. Personal laws and laws related to inheritance, adoption and succession are likely to be covered by a common code. Implementation of a UCC has been part of BJP election manifestos. Uttarakhand is already in the process of framing its common code. The BJP had promised a uniform civil code in Karnataka ahead of the recent assembly elections. On Tuesday, Prime ...

UCC will have adverse impact on minority, tribal communities: Akali Dal

The Shiromani Akali Dal Wednesday said the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) throughout the country would have an adverse impact on the minority and tribal communities. The opposition party in Punjab also slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for extending its "in-principle" support to the UCC, saying the nod has exposed its "anti-minority face." In a statement here, senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said Akali Dal has always opposed the Uniform Civil Code for the entire country and it would submit its reservations on the issue to the 22nd Law Commission as well as in Parliament. He said the party believed that civil laws in the country were influenced by faith, belief, caste and customs and were different for different religions. "These should be retained in the interest of safeguarding the social fabric as well as the concept of unity in diversity," said Cheema. The SAD's remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushed for the implementation of the UCC at

Situation in India makes it must to retain sedition law: Panel chief

'The law being a colonial legacy is not valid ground for its repeal'

UCC against religious freedom, will oppose it under legal ambit: Jamiat

Prominent Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Monday claimed that the Uniform Civil Code is against the religious freedom guaranteed under the the Constitution but said it will not take to the streets to protest against it and instead would oppose it by taking all possible steps within the ambit of law. The statement by the Muslim organisation comes days after the Law Commission initiated a fresh consultation process on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) by seeking views from stakeholders, including public and recognised religious organisations, on the politically sensitive issue. In a statement, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind said it opposes the UCC as it is "totally against the religious freedom and fundamental rights guaranteed to the citizens in Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution." "Our Constitution is a secular Constitution, in which every citizen has been given full religious freedom, and every person has been also given the right to choose the religion of his choice, because ..

All states in country should implement Uniform Civil Code: U'khand CM Dhami

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday said that all the states in the country should implement Uniform Civil Code (UCC)

Law Commission seeks information from govt on age of consent: Report

The 22nd Law Commission, which is looking into the issue of age of consent, held a meeting with officials of the Women and Child Development Ministry recently and sought details on the subject, sources said on Friday. Over the years, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which defines a child as a person aged below 18, has often come in conflict with the role of consent in determining the nature of relationships between adolescents. Sources said the Law Commission held a meeting with the government and sought some information on the matter of age of consent. "We are dealing with the subject...we had a meeting with them to provide some information," a government functionary said. Last year, the Delhi High Court had said that the intention behind the POCSO Act was to protect children from sexual exploitation and that it was never meant to criminalise consensual romantic relationships between young adults. The court made the observation while granting bail to a

Uniform Civil Code: Third prong in BJP's three-point core agenda

The new effort by the 22nd Law Commission will look at personal laws relating to marriage, divorce, maintenance, custody and guardianship of children, inheritance and succession, and adoption

22nd Law Commission seeks views on UCC from public, religious organisations

The commission has set a limit of 30 days to submit views on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for all stakeholders

Framing UCC for U'khand will strengthen social fabric, says ex-SC judge

The uniform civil code being drafted by a committee of experts for Uttarakhand will strengthen the social fabric, promote gender equality and help fight economic, social and religious inequalities, retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, who heads the panel, said on Wednesday. We are trying to make such a draft which is liked by everyone, people of every religion, Desai told reporters at an event organised here to seek suggestions on the proposed UCC from people of the hill state who live in the national capital. Desai heads the committee of experts set up by the Uttarakhand government in March 2022 for drafting the Uniform Civil Code, an election promise made by the BJP in the state. She said the committee will make recommendations for bringing a uniform civil code for a range of issues including marriage, divorce succession, guardianship, custody and inheritance with a primary focus on safeguarding the interests of women, children and the differently-abled. We are ...

Backing sedition law contrary to foundations of republic: Kapil Sibal

Rajya Sabha MP and former law minister Kapil Sibal on Friday said the Law Commission's recommendations backing the sedition law are contrary to the ethos and the very foundations of the republic. The commission has proposed retaining the penal provision for the offence of sedition, saying repealing it altogether can have serious adverse ramifications for the security and integrity of the country. Addressing a press conference, Sibal said, "I am disturbed at these recommendations. These recommendations themselves are contrary to the ethos of the republic. They are contrary to the essence of the very republic, they are contrary to the very foundations of the republic." "They have given the status of the government as if the government is the state. Government is installed through the will of the people; it does not represent the state. It works for the state. This is a law that is conceptually flawed," the senior advocate said. After 2014, there have been more than 10,000 cases of ..

Increase jail term in sedition cases to 7 years, recommends Law commission

The Law Commission of India has recommended enhancing the jail term in sedition cases from a minimum of three years to seven years, contending that it would allow courts greater room to award punishment in accordance with the scale and gravity of the act committed. In a report on the 'Usage of the Law of Sedition', the Commission said its earlier report had termed the punishment for Section 124A (law of sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) "very odd" as it has provisions for either life imprisonment or a three-year jail term, but nothing in between. The minimum punishment under the sedition law is paying fine. "A comparison of the sentences as provided for offences in Chapter VI of the IPC suggests that there is a glaring disparity in the punishment prescribed for Section 124A," the Commission said. Chapter VI of the IPC deals with offences against the state. "It is, therefore, suggested that the provision be revised to bring it in consonance with the scheme of punishment prov

Law Commission considering to work on UCC issue: Ex-Justice Ranjana Desai

The Law Commission is considering to work on the issue of Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai said after a meeting with its chairperson and members here on Friday. Desai heads a committee preparing a draft of the code for Uttarakhand. Desai and members of the Uttarakhand panel met the Law Commission chairman, Justice (retired) Ritu Raj Awasthi, and members K T Sankaran, Anand Paliwal and D P Verma. "It was a courtesy call. Because we are working on it (UCC) and they are also perhaps considering it, she told reporters after the meeting at Uttarakhand Sadan. "They were asking what work we have done. So we also gave them some ideas. That's all, she added. When asked if the work done by the Uttarakhand UCC committee can be replicated at the national level, she said, "It is our wish that it will be good if other states also follow.

Sedition law should be retained with certain amendments: Law Commission

The Law Commission has said it is of the considered view that Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code dealing with sedition needs to be retained, though certain amendments could be introduced to bring about greater clarity regarding usage of the provision. In its report submitted to the government, the panel said cognizant of the views on the misuse of Section 124A, it recommends that model guidelines curbing them be issued by the Centre. "In this context, it is also alternatively suggested that a provision analogous to Section 196(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC) may be incorporated as a proviso to Section 154 of CrPC, which would provide the requisite procedural safeguard before filing of a FIR with respect to an offence under Section 124A of IPC," chairman of the 22nd Law Commission Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi (retd) said in his covering letter to Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. While it is imperative to lay down certain procedural guidelines for curbing any misuse of

90% UCC draft complete, panel to submit proposal by June 30: Uttarakhand CM

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday said a committee formed by his government to prepare the draft of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for the state has completed 90 per cent work and will submit its proposals by June 30. Implementation of a Uniform Civil Code was one of the major poll promises made by the BJP in run-up to the state assembly elections in 2022 which it won. Dhami formed the five-member committee days after taking oath in May last year. Talking to reporters at Kashipur in Udham Singh Nagar district, Dhami said on Monday the panel headed by former Supreme Court judge justice Ranjana Prakash Desai has completed 90 per cent of work related to drafting of the code. "The committee assigned the task of drafting the UCC has said it will be submitted by June 30 after which we will take steps to implement it," Dhami said. "We also expect other states to follow our example and introduce a Uniform Civil Code." Dhami was here to inaugurate and lay the foundation

BJP promises to implement uniform civil code, NRC in poll-bound Karnataka

The ruling BJP promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Karnataka, in its election manifesto for the May 10 Assembly polls, released on Monday. "We will implement the UCC in Karnataka based on the recommendations given by a high-level committee which is to be constituted for the purpose," according to the manifesto. We will introduce the National Register of Citizens in Karnataka and ensure speedy deportation of all illegal immigrants in the state". "The Constitution (of India) allows us to move in the direction of Uniform Civil Code. 'Justice to all; appeasement to none' is our policy", BJP National Present J P Nadda, who was among those present at the release programme, said. The party also promised to create a special wing in the state called Karnataka State Wing against Religious Fundamentalism and Terror (K-SWIFT). The BJP said it would provide three free cooking gas cylinders to all BPL families -- one each during the