Uniform Civil Code Soon? Will Modi's push for law pass the numbers game?

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong pitch for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) recently, reports have emerged that the Centre is planning to introduce a bill on the same in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. According to India Today, a bill on the UCC is likely to be sent to a Parliamentary Standing Committee which will hear the views of several stakeholders on the matter. Monsoon Session is expected to start in the third week of July in the old Parliament building and later shift to the new complex midway, sources told PTI earlier this week. What is going on? Which political parties have expressed support and which have spoken against the UCC? How do the numbers stack up in Parliament? Let’s take a closer look. What’s happening? Addressing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal on Tuesday (27 June), Modi said: “Today people are being instigated in the name of UCC. How can the country be run on two (laws)? The Constitution also talks of equal rights…the Supreme Court has also asked to implement UCC.” Taking a dig at the Opposition parties, the prime minister accused them of opposing the UCC for “vote bank politics”.

#WATCH | PM Narendra Modi speaks on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC)

"Today people are being instigated in the name of UCC. How can the country run on two (laws)? The Constitution also talks of equal rights...Supreme Court has also asked to implement UCC. These (Opposition) people… pic.twitter.com/UwOxuSyGvD

— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2023

His remarks came a week after the 22nd Law Commission issued a notice seeking the views of the public and “recognised” religious organisations on the UCC within 30 days, reported Indian Express. Meanwhile, a parliamentary standing committee has invited representatives of the Law Commission and the law ministry on 3 July following the law panel’s 14 June notice on the UCC. Parties in favour UCC, which intends to have a common code of personal laws across all religions, has been a long-time BJP agenda. Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra on Friday (30 June) signalled that the UCC may soon become a reality.

5 अगस्त को हुआ राम मंदिर का निर्णय

5 अगस्त को हटी धारा 370

5 अगस्त भी आने वाला है और यूनिफार्म सिविल कोड (UCC) भी

जय श्री राम

— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) June 30, 2023

More from Explainers

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar Giorgio Armani will: Who will get the inheritance? What happens to his fashion empire?

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is at loggerheads with the central government over various issues in Delhi, has expressed “in principle” support for the UCC but also called for a wider consensus on the issue. “In principle, we support UCC as Article 44 also says that there should be UCC in the country. However, it should be implemented after wider consultation with everyone. We feel that there should be wide consultation with all religions, political parties, and organisations and a consensus should be built,” AAP national general secretary Sandeep Pathak told news agency PTI earlier in the week. Speaking to The Hindu, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut said his party has historically favoured implementing the UCC. However, he called Modi’s latest remarks a “political stunt aimed at the next general elections and not a sincere exercise to bring the UCC”. “In view of his remarks, we will have to sit and deliberate on the issue,” Raut added. In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena (UBT) argued Thursday that “only opposing the Sharia law of Muslims is not the basis for Uniform Civil Code. Having equality in law and justice is also Uniform Civil Code”. Against or position unclear Congress leader P Chidambaram attacked the BJP in a long tweet after Prime Minister Modi’s remarks in Bhopal. “The Hon’ble PM is making it appear that UCC is a simple exercise. He should read the report of the last Law Commission that pointed out it was not feasible at this time. The nation is divided today owing to the words and deeds of the BJP. A UCC imposed on the people will only widen the divisions,” he stated. Calling the UCC “an aspiration”, he said, “It cannot be forced on the people by an agenda-driven majoritarian government.”

The Hon'ble PM has equated a Nation to a Family while pitching for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC)

While in an abstract sense his comparison may appear true, the reality is very different

A family is knit together by blood relationships. A nation is brought together by a…

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) June 28, 2023

Jharkhand chief minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren said the BJP’s move is to distract from real issues, such as inflation and unemployment, reported The Hindu.  [caption id=“attachment_12809462” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Graphic: Pranay Bhardwaj[/caption] Hitting out at the BJP, Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK supremo MK Stalin said people would “teach the BJP a lesson” in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for attempting to “escalate religious conflicts and confuse people to win” polls. Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) has called for proper consultation before taking any action on the UCC. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a former NDA partner, has rejected the UCC, saying it would impact minorities and tribals. BJP’s ally AIADMK has left the party’s stand on its general secretary, Edappadi K Palaniswami, reported Times of India (TOI). Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said the move seems a “political ploy” before the 2024 general elections. “At present, we neither support nor oppose UCC. There is a need for a discussion with society and stakeholders,” NCP National Secretary Naseem Siddiqui was quoted as saying by India Today.  ALSO READ: PM Modi backs Uniform Civil Code: How it will affect personal laws across religions What do the numbers say? The UCC can be easily cleared in the Lok Sabha owing to the BJP-led NDA’s overwhelming majority in the Lower House. The Upper House or Rajya Sabha can be a challenge. It has 245 seats out of which eight – including two nominated members’ seats – are vacant.

In this situation, the BJP needs to reach the majority mark of 119 to get the legislation passed in Rajya Sabha.

After the death of Hardwar Dubey last week, the BJP is left with 92 MPs in the Upper House. The AIADMK has four members and the other seven small parties in NDA have one member each, according to NDTV. [caption id=“attachment_12809412” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The BJP needs the majority mark of 119 to get a bill on the UCC passed in Rajya Sabha. Reuters File Photo of old Parliament building[/caption] With the support of five nominated members and one Independent MP, BJP’s tally rises to 109 in the Upper House, ten short of the majority mark. Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders have earlier spoken in favour of implementing the UCC and hence can support the Centre in Rajya Sabha. But even if 9 MPs of the Naveen Patnaik-led party back the government, it still falls short of a majority. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party is not expected to support the UCC in Parliament . The AAP, which has 10 seats in Rajya Sabha, can prove to be the key player in getting the UCC cleared. Meanwhile, as many as 10 Rajya Sabha seats, including those held by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and TMC’s Derek O’Brien, will go to polls in the upcoming Monsoon Session. Out of these, six are in West Bengal, three in Gujarat and one in Goa. While not much is expected to change, the BJP is likely to gain one seat in West Bengal, thus increasing NDA’s strength to 110, noted The Times of India (TOI). Given that all NDA partners support the legislation and after their tally reaches 110, either BJD or AAP’s backing can help the BJP push the UCC bill through the Rajya Sabha. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.