UCC panel invites ideas on proposed law in Chhattisgarh

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) announced that the committee formed to prepare the framework for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) implementation in the State has invited suggestions and opinions on the proposed law from citizens, organisations and other stakeholders.

According to an official statement, the last date has been set as October 15 by the five five-member high-level committee. Last month, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai had said that the UCC will be introduced in the Assembly in the upcoming Winter Session.

Since 2024, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh have implemented the UCC that largely regulates areas of personal law such as marriage, divorce, succession and inheritance, and live-in relationships.

“The committee is studying the legal, social and administrative aspects of implementing the UCC. Its mandate includes examining the State’s existing legal framework and preparing practical recommendations on matters such as marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance and adoption. It will also study UCC models adopted by other States, consider suggestions received from the citizens, legal experts, social organisations and other stakeholders, and prepare a comprehensive draft along with legislative and administrative recommendations,” the statement added.

The committee had appealed to government and non-government organisations, social groups, religious institutions, communities, political parties and citizens to submit their views and suggestions by October 15 this year, the statement said.

“Suggestions can be submitted by email at ucc-chhattisgarh@cg.gov.in, through the web portal https://ucc.cgstate.gov.in/, or by post to the Office of the Uniform Civil Code Committee, New Circuit House, Civil Lines, Room No. 202, Raipur, Chhattisgarh – 492001,” said the official.

While the government statement asserted that the objective of the proposed law was to bring all citizens under a common constitutional framework in place of religion-based personal laws, the Opposition has been long demanding that such a legislation proposed should provide exemptions for tribal communities. It demands that the centuries-old conservative traditions, marriage systems, and social systems of tribal communities should be excluded from the scope of the UCC to ensure that their specific rights are not violated.

In July, the Madhya Pradesh Assembly passed a UCC Bill with provisions to ban polygamy and make the registration of live-in relationships mandatory, while excluding the tribal community from its scope. 

The committee headed by Justice Desai was examining the need for a Uniform Civil Code in Chhattisgarh, preparing its framework and undertaking a comprehensive review of the existing laws governing personal civil matters, the official added.