Uniform Civil Code bills await President’s nod in Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh

Union home minister, Amit Shah, has promised that all National Democratic Alliance-ruled states will have a UCC in place before 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

The President is yet to approve the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bills passed by the state assemblies of Assam, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh earlier this year.

On September 13, Union home minister, Amit Shah, promised that all National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ruled states will have a UCC in place before 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Uttarakhand was the first state to implement a state-specific UCC on January 27, 2025, ten months after the President’s approved. In the interregnum it drafted exhaustive rules that defined powers of different set of officials for implementation of the law. The President’s approval of the draft UCC law came 32 days after the bill was passed in the state assembly on February 7, 2024.

This year, three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states, Assam, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh assemblies have approved the UCC bills, similar to the one implemented in Uttarakhand with changes specific state’s tribal communities and customs.