Eight months after the Centre told the Supreme Court that the Constitution obligated the State to have a Uniform Civil Code for its citizens, and said that people of different religions and denominations following different property and matrimonial laws was an affront to the nations unity, the 22nd Law Commission of India Wednesday sought the views of the public and religious organisations on the matter.
A notice issued by the Commission said those interested and willing may present their views within 30 days.
It said the 21st Law Commission had initially examined the subject of UCC and solicited the views of all stakeholders on October 7, 2016 with further public appeals/notices on March 19, March 27 and April 10, 2018. After an overwhelming response, the 21st Law Commission, it said, came out with a consultation paper on Reforms of Family Law on August 31, 2018.
Since more than three years had lapsed after the issue of the consultation paper, and bearing in mind the relevance and importance of the subject and also the various Court orders on the subject, the 22nd Law Commission of India considered it expedient to deliberate afresh over the subject.
The notice said the stakeholders concerned are also at liberty to make submissions in the form of consultation/discussion/working papers on any of the issues pertaining to the UCC to the Member Secretary, Law Commission of India. If need be, Commission may call upon any individual or organisation for a personal hearing or discussion, it said.
The 22nd Law Commission is chaired by former Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi. Retired High Court judge Justice K T Sankaran, Professor Anand Paliwal, Professor D P Verma, Professor Raka Arya and M Karunanithi are its members.
