Daily News Analysis

Uniform Civil Code (UCC)

stylish_lining

Why in the News?

Prime Minister's recent Independence Day speech emphasized the need for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), advocating for a secular civil framework over the current religion-based personal laws.

About Uniform Civil Code (UCC)

  • Definition: UCC refers to a unified set of personal laws applicable to all citizens, regardless of religion, governing matters such as marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance, adoption, and succession.
  • Current Status:
  • Most personal matters in India are governed by respective religious laws.
  • Goa has a form of a common civil code under the Portuguese Civil Code of 1867, while Uttarakhand adopted UCC in 2024.
  • The 21st Law Commission of India (2018) suggested reforms in family laws rather than an immediate formulation of UCC.

Need for UCC in India

  • Constitutional Duty: Article 44 mandates the state to secure a UCC for all citizens, promoting gender justice, national integration, and equality before the law.
  • Modernizing Laws: Current laws dividing citizens based on religion must be abolished to facilitate societal progress (e.g., polygamy in Muslim law).
  • International Obligations: Aligning with human rights conventions, UCC can strengthen India’s commitment to international norms.
  • Simplification of Laws: A standardized legal framework would ensure efficient dispute resolution.
  • Adapting to Contemporary Society: UCC would promote inclusivity and individual freedoms, aligning laws with modern values.

Supreme Court Judgments on UCC

  • Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum (1985): Advocated for gender justice and uniformity in personal laws.
  • Sarla Mudgal v. Union of India (1995): Called for reforming personal laws to prevent misuse.
  • Shayra Bano v. Union of India (2017): Declared talaq-e-biddat as arbitrary, reinforcing the need for reform.

Issues Associated with Implementing UCC

  • Cultural Diversity: UCC could undermine cultural and religious identities, potentially violating Article 25 (freedom of religion).
  • Lack of Consensus: Implementing UCC without community agreement could lead to social unrest.
  • Federalism Concerns: Critics argue that UCC could infringe upon states' legislative powers, undermining cooperative federalism.

Way Forward for Implementing UCC in India

  • Consensus Building: Engage various stakeholders through inter-faith dialogues to prevent social discord.
  • Socio-economic Impact Analysis: Consider the effects on marginalized communities, incorporating protective provisions.
  • Education and Awareness: Promote understanding of UCC’s principles to foster a progressive outlook.
  • Codification of Personal Laws: Establish universal principles through codification to ensure fairness and consistency in legal matters.

India’s Import Curbs on Jute Products from Bangladesh

India has imposed immediate restrictions on the import of jute and allied fibre products from Bangladesh. These apply at all Indian land and seaports except Nhava Sheva in Maharash
Share It

GPS Interference

  GPS interference refers to deliberate or unintentional disruption of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals, which are crucial for navigation in aircraft, ships, and ground transport sy
Share It

India’s Civil Nuclear Law Reform:

  India is revising its civil nuclear laws—the Atomic Energy Act (AEA), 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA), 2010—to: Attract private and forei
Share It

Secondary Pollutants

A recent study has shed light on an important aspect of India's air pollution crisis: secondary pollutants, which now contribute to nearly one-third of PM2.5 pollution in the country. These pollut
Share It

Myogenesis

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s Myogenesis experiments on the ISS represent a major leap forward in India’s space research efforts, focusing on the formation and regulation of muscle fib
Share It

Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS)

A scholarship scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) initiative by the Ministry of Education’s Department of Higher Education. It Provides financial assistance to m
Share It

Khasi People

The Meghalaya High Court has admitted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning the tribal certificate issuance for the Khasi community.This PIL challenges a government decision that has halted th
Share It

Similipal Tiger Reserve

Odisha High Court issued a notice to the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) over a ban on Munda tribals from accessing Jayara, a sacred grove inside the tiger reserve.This raised concerns ove
Share It

Begonia nyishiorum

A fascinating new species of flowering plant, Begonia nyishiorum, has been discovered in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, further highlighting the rich but underexplored biodiversity of
Share It

Asiatic Wild Dog

Asiatic Wild Dog A new study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has confirmed the return of the dhole (Asiatic wild dog) to Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape (KKAL) in Assam, after being beli
Share It

Newsletter Subscription


ACQ IAS
ACQ IAS