- Suggestions invited in the bilateral discussions held by the High Level Committee
A two-day workshop was organized from September 10th by the high-level committee constituted at the state level for detailed discussion and suggestions before the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code. Under the chairmanship of Mr. M.K. Raut, a former senior officer of the Indian Administrative Service and a member of the committee, information on the current rules and laws of the Uniform Civil Code was given through a PPT. Committee member and senior advocate Mr. Mohan Pawar was present on this occasion.
- Discussions were held with various organizations and social representatives to seek their opinion on the Uniform Civil Code.
The two-day consultation meeting organized by the State-Level Committee on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Chhattisgarh concluded successfully in the meeting hall of the Old Circuit House. During the meeting, the committee members held detailed discussions with various social organizations, public representatives, and heads of state commissions. During this intense two-day brainstorming session, suggestions were openly sought from all parties on sensitive and important topics such as marriage and divorce, succession and inheritance, maintenance, and live-in relationships.
During this meeting, Mr. Gajanand Nuruti, Provincial Secretary of the Gondi Dharma Sanskriti Sanrakshan Samiti, prominently raised the issue of protecting the traditional customs and unique cultural fabric of the tribal community. He formally requested that the tribal community be excluded from the scope of the Uniform Civil Code to protect their fundamental identity and rights. Meanwhile, Mr. Amarjeet Singh Chhabra, Chairman of the State Minority Commission, strongly advocated for gender equality in society.
He suggested concrete efforts to grant equal rights to men and women, ensure equal inheritance of property for sons and daughters, ensure mandatory registration of marriage and divorce, and establish clear legal provisions regarding property and wills. Representatives from the Christian community, including Mr. Rajesh John Pal, stated that marriage is considered an unbreakable union created by God and cannot be broken. Live-in relationships are unacceptable to society.
Mrs. Varnika Sharma, Chairperson of the State Child Protection Commission, also attended this important meeting and shared her views on various aspects of children’s rights and social security. The committee members listened to the suggestions presented by all representatives with utmost seriousness and sensitivity. They assured that all these important practical facts and suggestions received from various social groups would be thoroughly analyzed to develop an inclusive, balanced, and fair draft.
In the meeting, senior advocate of the Bar Association, Mr. Brijesh Pandey, President of the Bar Association, Mr. Dinesh Devangan, President of the Bar Council, Mr. Pramod Tiwari and Senior Vice President, Mrs. Bharti Rathore presented their suggestions, emphasizing on making the provisions of the Uniform Civil Code more effective, clear and transparent. In the second session of the discussion meeting, President of Kanyakubj Brahmin Samaj, Dr. Suresh Mishra and Mr. Ashish Bajpai presented their views and opinions on the Uniform Civil Code before the committee. Similarly, representatives of the Medical Association, Dr. Kuldeep Solanki, Dr. Surabhi Dubey and Dr. K.P. Ajmani gave their opinion regarding the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code and gave suggestions to the members of the high-level committee.