Chhattisgarh Forms Judicial Panel to Draft Uniform Civil Code
The Chhattisgarh government has formally established a five-member judicial committee tasked with framing a comprehensive blueprint for implementing a Uniform Civil Code across the state. This strategic administrative step accelerates the state’s legislative agenda to replace fragmented, faith-based personal laws with a single secular legal framework.
Key Highlights
- Retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai will head the newly formed 5-member UCC drafting committee.
- The panel will evaluate existing laws governing marriage, divorce, alimony, inheritance, and adoption to recommend unified state reforms.
- Public consultations, expert evaluations, and comparative analyses of other states will shape the final legislative draft.
- Opposition leaders have raised concerns regarding the potential impact of these unified laws on indigenous tribal customs.
The administration of Chhattisgarh on Thursday officially gazetted a five-member advisory board, under the leadership of retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, mandated to construct the foundational draft for executing a Uniform Civil Code. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Saiβs office disseminated the executive order via social platform X, confirming the panel’s responsibility to architect the statutory framework.
Under the terms of the official notification, this specialized committee will scrutinize the current legal parameters regarding civic codes within Chhattisgarh. The judicial body is tasked with delivering targeted policy recommendations regarding marriage, divorce, spousal maintenance, asset inheritance, child adoption, and interconnected statutory matters.
The panel is required to formulate an initial legislative draft of the proposed civil code, which will be submitted directly to the state administration alongside necessary procedural and statutory guidelines.
Beyond the judicial leadership of Justice Desai, the newly formed committee incorporates retired Indian Administrative Service officers Shatrughan Singh and MK Raut. Senior legal counsel Mohan Pawar and former academic administrator Jyoti Rani Singh complete the specialized team. Notably, Justice Desai concurrently directs an identical civil code drafting committee in the adjacent, BJP-governed territory of Madhya Pradesh.
The state directive clarified that the investigative team will actively solicit feedback, briefs, and depositions from private citizens, civil rights organizations, legal scholars, and community stakeholders. Furthermore, the members will systematically analyze operational and proposed civic code architectures in alternative domestic jurisdictions prior to solidifying their final statutory brief.
Previously, on April 15, 2026, the Chhattisgarh executive cabinet resolved to institute this high-level judicial commission. At that juncture, state authorities asserted that the legal consolidation aimed to streamline existing statutes while bolstering gender equity and religious parity, arguing that disjointed personal laws complicate judicial administration.
The opposition Congress party has sharply contested the legislative initiative, categorizing the policy as an underlying risk to indigenous protections. Faction leaders claimed that local Adivasi populations would face the most severe legal disruptions under a singular, standardized civic framework.
With the official publication of this committee’s mandate, the state government has commenced its structured review of regional jurisprudence, initiating the collection of public testimony to finalize the statutory text.
Regional Legal Overview
While Chhattisgarh initiates its legislative drafting process, several Indian states have recently advanced distinct legal frameworks to standardize civil law across communities.
| State Jurisdiction | Legislative Status | Implementation System |
|---|---|---|
| Goa | Operational since colonial era | Portuguese Civil Code of 1867 |
| Uttarakhand | Fully Enacted | First modern statutory state model |
| Gujarat | Bill Passed (March 2026) | Awaiting complete administrative rollout |
| Assam | Bill Passed (May 2026) | Undergoing initial implementation phases |
| Chhattisgarh | Panel Formed (June 2026) | Pre-drafting and public consultation stage |
Future Outlook
The newly appointed panel is anticipated to initiate extensive public feedback campaigns across Chhattisgarh’s 33 districts over the coming months. Observers state that the committee’s primary challenge rests in balancing standardized civic laws with the constitutional protections granted to India‘s tribal populations under the Fifth Schedule. The final draft submitted by Justice Desaiβs committee will likely serve as the foundational text for a upcoming legislative bill in the state assembly, positioning Chhattisgarh alongside a growing block of states pursuing total civil law unification.
FAQs
What is the primary purpose of the Chhattisgarh UCC committee?
The committee is officially mandated to analyze existing personal laws in the state and draft a unified legal code governing civil matters such as marriage, divorce, asset inheritance, and child adoption for all citizens regardless of faith.
Who is leading the newly formed civil code panel in Chhattisgarh?
The 5-member high-level panel is chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, who is also currently steering a similar legislative drafting committee in Madhya Pradesh.
Which other Indian states have already passed or implemented a Uniform Civil Code?
Goa remains the only state with a historic civil code from 1867. In modern legal developments, Uttarakhand has fully enacted a new code, while Gujarat passed its bill in March 2026 and Assam cleared its respective legislation in May 2026.
Why is the opposition party objecting to the implementation of a uniform code?
The opposition Congress party and local activists argue that a standardized civil code could inadvertently infringe upon the protected customary laws, traditional land practices, and distinct cultural rights of Adivasi tribal communities.
