Madhya Pradesh to Table UCC Bill in July Assembly Session
As MP's six-member committee finalises a draft Uniform Civil Code, the move tests the constitutional boundary between state legislative competence and personal law reform — a live UPSC flashpoint.
What happened
With Uttarakhand's UCC already in force and Madhya Pradesh now moving a Bill, the question is no longer hypothetical: can states legislate a Uniform Civil Code, and what does that mean for the Centre's own UCC ambitions? This is precisely the kind of live constitutional experiment that UPSC's GS2 and Essay papers reward candidates for analysing with precision — not just knowing Article 44, but understanding the legislative competence puzzle it creates.
UCC Implementation: State-Level Comparison
| State | UCC Status | Legal Basis | Population (Census 2011) | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goa | Active — 150+ yrs | Portuguese Civil Code, 1869 | ~14.6 lakh | Covers all communities incl. Catholics, Hindus, Muslims |
| Uttarakhand | Enacted 2024 | State Legislature (UCC Act, 2024) | ~1.01 crore | First democratically enacted state UCC; STs exempted; live-in registration mandated |
| Madhya Pradesh | Proposed — July 2025 | State Legislature (Bill pending) | ~8.5 crore | ~8× Uttarakhand's size — largest stress-test of state UCC |
Sources: Census 2011 (Registrar General of India); Uttarakhand UCC Act, 2024; 22nd Law Commission Consultation Paper, 2023; SRS Statistical Report, 2020
Article 44 (DPSP) directs the state to secure a UCC — but 'state' here means the Indian State broadly, not just the Union.
●Personal law reform sits at the intersection of the Concurrent List (Entry 5: marriage and divorce; Entry 7: wills and succession) and Fundamental Rights under Articles 25-28 (freedom of religion). Uttarakhand's UCC Act 2024 was the first state-level enactment; it covers marriage, divorce, inheritance, and live-in relationships uniformly for all residents except Scheduled Tribes.
●The Law Commission of India's 22nd Report (2023) recommended against a UCC at this stage, citing diversity concerns — a direct contrast to state-level legislative momentum.
●Prelims frequently tests which List entries govern personal law, the constitutional status of DPSPs vs Fundamental Rights, and landmark cases like Shah Bano (1985) and Sarla Mudgal (1995).
The single most testable fact: Personal law subjects (marriage, divorce, succession) fall under the Concurrent List (Entries 5 and 7), meaning both Parliament and state legislatures can legislate — but a Central law will prevail in case of repugnancy under Article 254.
◎ In Simple Words
India has different personal laws for different religions — like separate rule books for marriage, divorce, and inheritance depending on your faith. A Uniform Civil Code (UCC) means one common rule book for everyone, regardless of religion. Madhya Pradesh wants to write and pass such a rule book for its own state, just like Uttarakhand did in 2024. Think of it like a school deciding to have one uniform dress code instead of letting each class wear different clothes — the idea is fairness, but it also raises questions about whether everyone agrees.
Factual Pointers
Practice · 2 questions
With reference to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and the Indian Constitution, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Article 44 is a Directive Principle of State Policy and is enforceable by courts.
2. Marriage and divorce are subjects listed in the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule.
3. The Uttarakhand UCC Act, 2024 exempts Scheduled Tribes from its application.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
The 22nd Law Commission of India, in its consultation paper released in 2023, recommended which of the following regarding the Uniform Civil Code?
Mains Practice Questions
"A state-level Uniform Civil Code is constitutionally permissible but politically contentious." Examine this statement in the light of the Seventh Schedule, Article 254, and the Uttarakhand UCC Act, 2024. (GS2, 250 words)
The Directive Principle under Article 44 and the Fundamental Right under Article 25 represent competing visions of the Indian state. Critically analyse how the judiciary has attempted to reconcile these provisions, with reference to at least three landmark cases. (GS2, 250 words)
"Gender justice, not religious uniformity, should be the animating principle of any Uniform Civil Code in India." Do you agree? Substantiate your answer with examples from existing personal laws and the Uttarakhand UCC Act, 2024. (Essay/GS1, 250 words)
Essay Questions