Madhya Pradesh Government has already made some moves towards the enactment of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), with the intention of enacting the code by the close of this year, as per the authorities involved in the development. Chief minister Mohan Yadav has instructed the state home department to start preparing the legislation, and to speed up the process.
In a recent Cabinet meeting, Yadav requested the ministers to give their suggestions and research on the problems of the BJP states like Uttarakhand and Gujarat who have been undertaking similar initiatives. The officials mentioned that the draft law would be ready after a thorough consideration of the experience of these states so that the implementation can be carried out more smoothly.
The relocation is an indication of a change in the previous state government that was cautious. In August 2024, Yadav had indicated that the government did not hurry to adopt the UCC, citing different socio-cultural situations in different states. Nevertheless, it has been reported that the key figures in the Bharatiya Janata Party are interested in developing the initiative in Madhya Pradesh.
It was also reported that tribal communities will probably remain excluded under the proposed law like it will be the case in other states. The UCC seeks to provide a standard set of civil law to regulate issues like marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption regardless of religion.
The concept of introducing a UCC is not a new political promise of the BJP and the party leaders such as Amit Shah have repeatedly indicated that they would introduce it to the entire nation without violating the interests of tribal communities.