Gujarat has moved closer to implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Gujarat UCC Bill, 2026, making it the second state after Uttarakhand to receive presidential approval for a comprehensive common civil code.
The assent was granted on September 17 and the legislation was published in the state’s extraordinary gazette on October 1. The Gujarat government will now frame and notify the rules before bringing the law into force. The UCC seeks to establish common provisions governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and live-in relationships, irrespective of religion.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has described the legislation as a measure for equality and women’s rights, while the Opposition has criticised it as discriminatory and alleged that it was pushed through for political gain.
Common Rules Proposed
The Gujarat UCC Bill was passed by the state Assembly on March 24 following a debate lasting around eight hours. It proposes a common legal framework for personal matters including marriage, divorce, succession, adoption and guardianship, while also introducing provisions concerning live-in relationships. The legislation includes compulsory registration of marriages and live-in relationships, common rules for divorce and inheritance, and equal property rights for sons and daughters. The Bill, however, exempts Scheduled Tribes in the state, meaning the proposed framework is not literally identical in application to every resident.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel defended the legislation as a step towards equality and said it was intended to protect the rights of women and ensure that citizens were not discriminated against on the basis of religion. While introducing the Bill, Patel said, “This Bill has been introduced for the sisters and daughters of Gujarat,” adding that the state was taking a step towards the goal of a developed India by 2047.
He also said the legislation would not take away anyone’s rights or restrict anyone’s freedom. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi similarly defended the Bill as a fulfilment of a BJP commitment and pointed to the consultation process undertaken by the committee that drafted the proposal.
Opposition Raises Concerns
The legislation has faced sustained opposition from Congress and other political groups. During the Assembly debate, Congress members demanded that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee for further examination. When the demand was not accepted, Congress MLAs walked out before the Bill was passed. Congress leaders, including state president Amit Chavda, questioned the speed with which the legislation was brought before the House and alleged that the government was pursuing political interests.
Opposition members also described the legislation as “anti-Muslim” and raised concerns about its implications for religious customs and personal laws. The government rejected the political-motive allegations and maintained that the legislation was about equality rather than religion.
The Bill followed the submission of a report by a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The panel was constituted to examine the possibility of implementing a UCC in Gujarat and conducted consultations across the state before submitting its recommendations. According to the government, the committee received more than 20 lakh suggestions during the consultation process. The legislation was subsequently introduced in the Assembly shortly after the report was submitted.
The passage of the Bill also triggered public opposition outside the Assembly. In March, five people were detained during a protest against the proposed UCC outside Ahmedabad’s Jama Masjid following Eid prayers. Protesters associated with the demonstration raised objections to the proposed law and argued that it would interfere with Shariat-based personal practices.
With presidential assent now secured, the immediate next step is for the Gujarat government to frame and notify the rules governing the implementation of the Act. The law will come into force only after those rules are notified. Gujarat’s development also comes amid a broader expansion of UCC legislation: Assam received presidential assent to its UCC Bill on September 29, meaning Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam have now received approval for state-level common civil codes.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The implementation of a Uniform Civil Code has implications that extend beyond legal reform, touching questions of equality, religious freedom, gender justice and the preservation of diverse cultural practices. Any such change should therefore be accompanied by transparency, meaningful public consultation and clear explanations of how the law will affect different communities.
Political disagreements are inevitable, but discussions around personal laws should not deepen divisions between citizens. A constructive approach would ensure that concerns from minority communities and other affected groups are heard alongside the government’s stated objectives of equality and uniformity. As Gujarat moves towards implementation, can an open and inclusive dialogue ensure that legal reform strengthens both equality before the law and respect for India’s diversity?
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