The push for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) gained significant momentum within the National Democratic Alliance as three of its partner parties publicly threw their weight behind the proposal, even as political fault lines emerged across the country.
The Telugu Desam Party, the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray's ally Aditya Thackeray (the Shinde group), and the Hindustani Awam Morcha all declared their support for implementing a common civil code that would replace religion-based personal laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption across India.
The announcement comes in the wake of a sweeping statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 13, in which he confirmed that the BJP-led NDA government aims to implement the UCC in all 21 states currently under NDA rule before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Shah made the remarks while addressing a press conference in Mumbai during the launch of the BJP's Seva Sankalp Abhiyan campaign.
Currently, the NDA governs 22 states and union territories. Of these, Uttarakhand became the first state to put the UCC into effect as early as January 2025, giving the central government a pilot model to build upon. Meanwhile, legislative assemblies in Gujarat, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh have already passed UCC bills, clearing another major hurdle for implementation.
However, the road ahead is not without opposition. The Janata Dal (United) in Bihar, a key NDA constituent in the state, firmly stated that it will not allow the UCC to be enforced in Bihar. The party's stance reflects broader concerns among certain political outfits about how a uniform code may impact minority communities and local customary practices.
Legal experts note that while the Constitution under Article 44 directs the state to secure a UCC, any nationwide rollout will require careful coordination with state governments, legislative approvals where necessary, and sensitive engagement with communities whose personal laws are deeply intertwined with religious identity. The 2029 deadline sets an ambitious timeline, especially given the varied political and social landscapes across India's 28 states and 8 union territories.
