Lok Sabha Polls: BJP eyes UCC rollout in January to strengthen vote bank

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making preparations to fulfill another long-standing promise as it gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party has consistently included the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in its election manifestos, alongside the successful construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the nullification of Article 370.

According to TOI sources, the Uttarakhand government is set to implement the UCC in January, and its draft will serve as a blueprint for the rest of the country.

A senior party official told TOI that since the subject falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution, the central government will not impose the law nationwide. Instead, it will allow individual states to draft their own versions of the UCC.


“However, our party is committed and unambiguous in implementing UCC in 10 states where it has governments of its own,” TOI quoted the functionary.

After observing the implementation in Uttarakhand, the BJP aims to introduce the UCC in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Assam, Tripura, and Manipur.

"We will go to the people and convince them that the law should be uniform for all citizens and religion should not be a criterion," the official stated.

They believe that once people respond positively to the new law, those opposed to the UCC will find themselves in a difficult situation. The response from the public will be crucial in determining the next steps and any necessary modifications.

The official emphasized the need to be sensitive to local traditions, while ensuring uniformity in matters of marriage.

"We have formed a committee on UCC and its report is expected next month. Once we get the report, UCC will be implemented in the state without delay,” Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had told reporters recently.

Over the past year and a half, a committee appointed by the Uttarakhand government, led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, has sought input from 230,000 individuals on the UCC. They have engaged with 20,000 people from various walks of life to gather perspectives on this important issue.

(With TOI inputs)