Jairam Ramesh seeks govt’s stance on law panel opinion on uniform civil code

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, on Tuesday, sought to know from the government the action taken on the Law Commission opinion in a consultation paper that a uniform civil code is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage.

Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention in Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh said the Law Commission, acting on a reference made by the government in 2016, had on August 31, 2018, floated a consultation paper on Reform of Family Law.

The consultation paper covered topics of marriage and divorce, custody and guardianship, adoption and maintenance and success and inheritance, he said.

In the 185-page consultation paper, the Commission has dealt with laws that are discriminatory ‘rather than providing a uniform civil code which is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage,’ he said.

He said the Commission, in para 1.15 of the consultation paper, stated that “while diversity of the Indian culture can and should be celebrated, specific groups or weaker sections of society must not be dis-privileged in the process.”

“Resolution of this conflict does not mean abolition of difference. This Commission has therefore dealt with laws that are discriminatory rather than providing a uniform civil code which is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage,” the consultation paper stated.

Most countries are now moving towards recognition of difference, and the mere existence of difference does not imply discrimination but is indicative of a robust democracy,” it said.

Jairam Ramesh wanted to know what action had been taken by the government on the Law Commission’s recommendation.