The Law Commission of India on Friday extended the deadline for the public to submit responses on the proposed Uniform Civil Code by two more weeks. Earlier, on June 14, the law panel had invited responses from organisations and the general public concerning the Uniform Civil Code for a one-month period with the deadline ending on Friday. But the deadline was extended until July 28 in view of the “overwhelming responses from the public”, said the law panel on Friday.
“In view of the overwhelming response from the public on the subject of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and numerous requests received from various quarters regarding the extension of time for submitting their comments, the Law Commission has decided to grant an extension of two weeks for the submission of views and suggestions by the concerned stakeholders,” said the Law Commission in a statement on Friday, reported news agency ANI.
Uniform Civil Code is conceptualised as a set of laws that would govern personal matters of the people of India replacing the diverse personal laws based on religious affiliations concerning inheritance, divorce, marriage, succession, and adoption.
Currently, Hindu Succession Act 1956 governs the rights of Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs in the country while Muslims are governed by the Muslim Personal Law. For Christians, Parsis, and Jews, the Indian Succession Act 1925 applies.
Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing Bharatiya Janata Party booth workers from Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal addressed the issue of Uniform Civil Code for the first time after being elected as India’s Prime Minister in 2014.
Various reactions have since come to the fore across the spectrum with some political parties in favour and some opposing UCC.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has also declared that it will oppose the UCC. It also met with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray this month to discuss the matter.