It was earlier expected that the BJP government would introduce the bill on Monday. While reiterating the government’s commitment to implement the UCC, Adhikari said the committee would submit its final recommendations in four weeks, after which the bill would be tabled in the assembly. The legislation will be modelled on the UCC bills introduced in Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam, the CM said. Scheduled Castes and tribes will remain outside the purview of the proposed law, he said.
The Justice Desai committee will have legal experts, social workers and an additional secretary-level official among its members, Adhikari said. It will study various personal and family laws, including provisions related to marriage, divorce, maintenance, succession, adoption and live-in relationships. It will look into seven to nine provisions. “The draft of this bill will be brought for approval in the state cabinet meeting on July 2…We are going to bring the UCC Bill, under which there will be only one law in this state,” he said.
“We are committed to implement the UCC in West Bengal as mentioned in our Sankalp Patra (manifesto),” he said.
