Can't Connect Uniform Civil Code With Religion, Says Law Panel Chairman

New Delhi: The uniform civil code has nothing to do with religion and efforts to connect the two will only make the issue contentious, Justice BS Chauhan, Chairman of Law Commission has said.  

Speaking exclusively to NDTV following a fresh initiative by the Narendra Modi government to explore possibility of implementing an uniform civil code, Justice Chauhan said, "If you connect uniform civil code with religion, it becomes a problem. People must understand. We must educate them."

The constitution says the state should try to secure a uniform civil code for its citizens, but earlier efforts towards it had run into trouble given the religion based rules for property, marriage and divorce, inheritance and succession.

The government has now directed the Law Commission for a report on the Uniform Civil Code.

Asked what would be the commission's process to prepare the report, Justice Chauhan said, "Our efforts will be neutral and our attempt is to come out with a secular report".

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Soon, the commission will meet people to get their views on the uniform civil code and even invite political parties for their views.

A former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Chauhan said, "It is an important issue and we are not in a hurry to submit the report. We will soon formulate the issues on uniform civil code and put it on the website, seeking views of the public."

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The Indian Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code apply to all, irrespective of religion, he said. "Like this, there are many laws uniform in nature."

The Supreme Court is examining to what extent the court can interfere in the Muslim personal law. The Centre, which was to submit its stand, had referred the issue to the Law Commission.