UNIFORM CIVIL CODE

Need / Significance of UCC

A. Promotes equality

• Ensures equal legal status for all citizens, regardless of their religion or community.

B. Protection to vulnerable sections

• Gender justice - protection from religious practices rooted in inequality- Unequal divorce provisions, male dominance in inheritance.

C. Sign of a modern progressive nation

• Towards national integration - Reduce divisions arising from multiple personal laws based on differing religious principles.

• Embolden democratic Civilization - As civil laws should operate independently of religious doctrines.

D. Simplification of laws

• Brings clarity by streamlining complex and multiple laws related to marriage, succession.

• Personal laws can sometimes reinforce communal tensions

E. Aligns constitutional framers vision

• Reform-oriented : Eg. Ambedkar's Hindu Code Bill to modernise personal laws, which a UCC seeks to advance further.

• Adheres to secularism : uniform civil laws rather than separate rules based on religion.

F. Reduces burden on judiciary

• Minimises disputes arising from personal laws and religious practices, thus focus on broader issues.

Disadvantage / Against / Cons

Cultural diversity be compromised Efforts becomes reason for threat to territorial integrity of nation.

unified nation did not necessarily need to have “uniformity

secularism has meaning only if it assured expression of any form of difference

diversity, both religious + regional, may get subsumed u/d louder voice of majority.

If framers of C’ intended to have UCC, would have given exclusive jurisdiction to Parl’ in respect of personal laws, but in concurrent List.

Challenges / Issues

Diversity poses challenge practically tough for a uniform rules for personal issues like marriage due to tremendous cultural diversity India across religions, sects, castes

Dilutes Freedom of Religion: C.Assembly – UCC provisions were outside scope of FRs and therefore UCC was made less important than freedom of religion. C’ itself protects local customs in Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram.

Tool of Majoritarianism: Minorities fear - code will neglect their traditions & impose rules which will be mainly influenced by majority religious communities. Sensitive & Tough Task: Reforming majority community’s laws is easier than those of minorities. Several Muslim countries, including Pakistan, able to reform Muslim laws but not laws of their minority communities.

Constitution / SC Judgement/ Committee

DPSP - Article 44

SC - Shah Bano case – 1985 =>  Govt should move towards UCC

Government laws /  Initiatives

21st Law commission - “UCC-  neither necessary nor desirable at this stage”.

Role-models / Case Studies / Best Practices

Goan practice of a common civil code since Portuguese Civil Code of 1867

Way forward/ Ahead

codification of all personal laws so that prejudices and stereotypes in it could be tested on anvil of fundamental rights

reform current personal law should first be initiated by communities themselves.

1. need is not one law rather many laws based on uniform principles of liberty, justice

Conclusion

Personal laws were formulated in specific spatio-temporal context and not stand still in changed time and context. Having UCC will help society move forward based on modern constitutional value system - liberty, equality, justice.

Efforts to reconcile our diversity with universal arguments on human rights.

social transformation from diverse civil code to uniformity be in “Piecemeal” approach which starts with codification of all personal laws.

Meta Advertiser Field NotesWeekly observations from inside Meta ads

Meta made a couple of announcements this week that could have a real impact, especially if the one-click, no-cost Conversions API rollout works as advertised. There were also several smaller updates worth watching, from a pixel upgrade and deeper AI integration to more signs that Dynamic Creative is finally on its way out.

1. ‘Analyze’ with Meta AI Business Assistant

2. Thoughts on audience segments

3. One-click CAPI spotted

4. Upgraded Meta pixel spotted

5. Dynamic Creative is going away

6. AI Voiceover test enhancement

Let’s get to it…