Gujarat Gets India’s Second Uniform Civil Code

President Murmu’s assent makes Gujarat the second state after Uttarakhand to approve a Uniform Civil Code.

Gujarat has moved closer to implementing a Uniform Civil Code after President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the state’s UCC Bill, making Gujarat the second Indian state after Uttarakhand to receive presidential approval for such legislation. The development places personal-law reform back at the centre of India’s political and legal debate, particularly around marriage, divorce, inheritance and other civil matters traditionally governed by different religious personal laws. The legislation now gives Gujarat a statutory framework for implementing common civil rules across its population.

The Gujarat legislation follows Uttarakhand’s implementation of a UCC and represents one of the most significant state-level developments in the long-running national debate over a common civil code. Supporters of the concept have historically argued that citizens should be governed by a common framework of civil rights and obligations rather than separate personal laws based on religion. Critics have raised questions about whether a uniform framework can adequately account for the diversity of India’s communities and customs, and whether reform should proceed through broader consultation.

The presidential assent means the Gujarat government can now move from legislative approval towards implementation, although the practical effect will depend on rules, administrative procedures and the way the provisions are interpreted and challenged. The legislation is likely to generate legal scrutiny because personal law intersects with constitutional guarantees relating to equality, religious freedom and individual rights. Gujarat’s move could also influence political debates in other states where UCC proposals have been discussed. Rather than being only a state policy issue, the development could become part of the wider national discussion about the relationship between constitutional equality and religious personal law.