BJP Govt Forms Panel To Check Draft UCC Bill In WB

Kolkata: Stepping back from a plan to table the contentious Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the West Bengal Assembly on Monday, the BJP government has decided to constitute a six member-committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge, to look into nine issues including family matters in the draft legislation for a month before accepting the panel's recommendations in August to enact the law.

Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari announced his government's decision in a statement to the House following the passage of three bills on the last day of the budget session. He also informed that his cabinet would approve a draft of the proposed UCC Bill after two days and asserted his government's promise to fulfill his party's “commitment” made in its Assembly Election manifesto.

Mr Adhikari said, “We will bring the draft of this bill to our cabinet on July 2 for approval. We will introduce this bill based on the ones done in Gujarat, Assam and Uttarakhand so that only one law will be effective instead of two based on religion. The tribal communities including the Kurmis will be out of this bill’s purview. I have proposed a committee following the steps of Gujarat and Uttarakhand. Retired SC judge Ranjana Desai will head it as chairperson.”

He added, “A retired IAS officer, a legal expert, an academician, a social worker and an additional secretary of general administration department will also be in the panel. This task force will conduct a comprehensive study of various personal family laws prevailing in the state, including provisions related to marriage, divorce maintenance, succession and adoption and live-in relationships.”

The CM also pointed out, “Nine such issues have been allotted to the committee. I assure the House this committee has been given four weeks’ time. We will introduce the UCC Bill for implementation only after accepting the committee’s recommendations in the revolutionary month of August. You can place your views, if there is any, before this committee with information and complaints. But mark my words. The UCC will be effective in WB. We are determined to ensure it.”

Earlier, speculation was rife about the UCC Bill presentation in the House on Monday after it was finalized in the Assembly business advisory committee meeting on June 25 evening. However, the bill was later found not listed among others for presentation.

Meanwhile, the BJP government revised the Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation from 17% to 7% by passing the West Bengal Backward Classes (other than SC and ST) Reservation of Vacancies in Services and Post Amendment Bill, 2026, and the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes Amendment Bill, 2026. It also passed the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026, allowing preventive detention of a suspect by the police for one year.