Bengal Government Sets Timeline for UCC Rollout, Committee Given One Month

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday announced that the state government will place the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) before the cabinet on July 2 and introduce the proposed legislation in the Assembly during its August session. The announcement marks the formal beginning of the state's legislative push toward a Uniform Civil Code, with a committee of experts already tasked with preparing recommendations.

The development comes on a day when the Assembly also passed the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026, aimed at strengthening the state's ability to tackle organised criminal activity.

Committee Led by Former Supreme Court Judge to Draft Recommendations

Addressing the Assembly, Adhikari said the government has initiated the process for enacting a Uniform Civil Code and will proceed after completing the required procedural and legislative steps.

"The draft of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be placed before the state cabinet on July 2. After the cabinet's approval, the bill will be tabled in the Assembly in August," Adhikari said in the House.

The Chief Minister also announced the formation of a committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd.) Ranjana Prakash Desai. According to him, the panel includes legal experts, educationists and specialists from various fields who will examine different aspects of the proposed legislation before submitting their recommendations.

"The committee has been given one month to submit its report. Once the committee's report is received, the bill will be tabled in the Assembly in August," he said.

Government Signals Determination to Implement UCC

Reaffirming the government's intent, Adhikari told the Assembly that the state administration remains committed to introducing and implementing the Uniform Civil Code.

"The government is committed to introducing the UCC bill, and the Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in Bengal under any circumstances," Adhikari said.

The announcement is significant because the Uniform Civil Code remains one of the most debated legal and political issues in India. A UCC seeks to establish a common set of civil laws governing matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption, replacing religion-specific personal laws.

The Bengal government's move comes alongside its efforts to strengthen law-and-order measures through new legislation.

Public Safety Bill Also Passed in Assembly

Earlier on Monday, the West Bengal Assembly passed the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026, with 176 members voting in favour and 41 opposing it.

According to the government, the legislation was introduced because existing laws were no longer adequate to tackle organised anti-social activities and criminal conspiracies. The new law seeks to provide authorities with stronger legal tools to curb such activities and punish offenders more effectively.

In the statement outlining the Bill's objectives, the government said it had observed that certain groups were engaging in activities that posed serious threats to the lives and property of law-abiding citizens. It argued that existing legal provisions had proved insufficient to address these challenges and that a stronger framework was necessary to prevent and disrupt criminal networks.

(With inputs from ANI)