Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 10 (ANI): Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar underscored that the formation of the seven-member panel to draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) rules fulfils a commitment previously made to the House by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The goal is to seek everyone’s opinion and present the UCC bill for formal discussion during the upcoming winter session in December.
Spekaing to ANI, Shelar notified that the expert panel is charged with the technical responsibility of drafting the proposed law.
“During the last session, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified and informed the House that a committee of experts would be constituted to draft the Uniform Civil Code law for Maharashtra. Today, a 7-member committee has been formed, chaired by former Justice Ranjana Desai. It includes other members such as a former Advocate General, a former Chief Secretary, and various experts. This committee will draft the legislation. The Chief Minister has announced that the aim is to seek everyone’s opinion and present the bill for discussion during the upcoming December session,” he said.
Earlier on Thursday, Fadnavis announced that the committee to draft the UCC rules in the state of Maharashtra will be headed by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Desai.
The Committee consists of a total of seven members, including three former judges from the Supreme Court or High Court, one constitutional expert, one former bureaucrat and two from the social sector.
Along with Desai, the panel will have former High Court Justice RC Chavan, former High Court Justice SG Mehere, former Chief Secretary of Maharashtra DK Jain, former Advocate General of Maharashtra Birendra Saraf, Social activist Padmashri Ramesh Patange, and Educationalist Suvarna Rawal as core members.
CM Fadnavis stated that this seven-member committee will comprehensively study all legal, social, and administrative aspects related to the Uniform Civil Code and submit a report with its recommendations to the state government within the next six months. Based on the committee’s report, the government will finalise the draft of the Uniform Civil Code.
He added that the state government will strive to introduce and pass the Uniform Civil Code bill in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council in the upcoming Nagpur winter session.
The Chief Minister said that the government will proceed on this issue by following all necessary constitutional and legal procedures, so that concrete and effective steps can be taken towards implementing the Uniform Civil Code in the state.
The move comes at a time when discussions on the UCC have gained momentum across the country. Uttarakhand became the first state after Independence to enact a Uniform Civil Code, and its experience is expected to be closely studied by Maharashtra while preparing its own draft. (ANI)
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