Uttarakhand UCC draft: 4 volumes, 2.3 lakh suggestions & some startling details (IANS Exclusive)

New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) draft report was submitted to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami by the drafting committee on Friday.

This will set in motion the process for its implementation in the hilly state, as stated by Dhami earlier.

One of the remarkable highlights of the UCC draft is that the statue of Lady Justice doesn’t carry the ‘blindfold’ as has been the hallmark of Indian judicial system.

Those associated with the drafting panel said this is a big symbolic message, aimed at promoting quality and objectivity for all. The draft report itself has been titled ‘Fostering Equality through Uniformity'.

The absence of veil on the Lady Justice is likely to spark a major row as the Opposition will target the government, accusing it of ‘destabilising’ the institutions and destroying the long-established norms of justice.

Another notable aspect of the UCC draft is that the 740-page long document is entirely written in Hindi and doesn’t have a single mention of Urdu word, reports said.

This is apparently the first Indian legal draft, which has been drafted entirely in Devnagari.

The drafting committee members may boast about the pure ‘Bharatiya‘ character of the UCC draft report, but the Opposition will certainly see a ‘motive’ in it to take on the Centre. A separate draft has also been prepared in English.

The UCC drafting committee comprised retired justice Pramod Kohli, social activist Manu Gaur, former Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh and Vice Chancellor of Doon University, Surekha Dangwal.

CM Dhami, while addressing reporters on Friday, said the four-volume draft report comprises 740 pages.

The UCC draft is likely to be presented in the Uttarakhand Assembly session starting February 5, and will be implemented after passage in the House.

The draft panel took more than 2.3 lakh suggestions from the public on their views and suggestions on the UCC.

The panel had formed two sub-committees. One sub-committee worked to prepare the draft of ‘code’, while the other reached out to the public to establish a dialogue and seek their suggestions.

The drafting panel held more than 72 meetings. It was also given four extensions before it could finalise the draft. The last extension was given in January this year.

For the uninitiated, the UCC provides a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance laws for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.

The passage of UCC was a promise of Uttarakhand BJP, before it rode to power in 2022. The BJP sprang a surprise in the 2022 Assembly elections and became the first party to form successive BJP government in the state.

Soon after getting elected to power, the Dhami government announced to constitute a committee to prepare a draft for the UCC.

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