Will Uttarakhand act as beacon for Uniform Civil Code?

Goa inherited uniform civil law from the Portuguese and since 1961 this common law has been part of India's statute.

- SHUBHABRATA BHATTACHARYA

Enshrined as a Directive Principle of State Policy in the Constitution of India and mentioned in the BJP manifestos of 1998 and 2019, will Uniform Civil Code (UCC)-a common personal law for all Indians regardless of religion, sex, gender and sexual orientation-be a reality as India embarks on its 75th year of Independence? A decision of the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led Uttarakhand cabinet, taken in its very first meeting after the elections provides a beacon of hope. Will Dhami be able to herald a change which two BJP MPs failed to do when they introduced legislation in November 2019 and March 2020, respectively, which were later withdrawn as political resolution on the issue was not forthcoming? A law passed by Uttarakhand will have state-specific application, but it certainly will open the sluice gate for similar action elsewhere.