Need for a Uniform Civil Code

Judiciary, Gender & Uniform Civil Code, India Policy Foundation, Pp 44, Rs 50.00

India Policy Foundation (IPF) has published a booklet as part of the National Agenda Series-1 compiling vital facts on this issue. The booklet provides full text of the Jammu & Kashmir High verdict on the issue, a backgrounder on the Uniform Civil Code in India, different court verdict on this issue delivered at different times and also details of the Shah Bano case, which basically kick start a debate on this issue and later misused by the Congress governments to garb Muslim votes.

The High Court, in its judgement, also raised the question on the application of Islamic law in a democratic and secular society. The post Shah Bano period of Indian politics witnessed the decline of index of secularisation. The new judgement is an opportunity to push a major community of the national population for greater and desirable reforms. It is an opportunity for the Muslim society to enter into negotiation with the elements of modernity and shed the shadow of medievalism. It is not only essential for the progress of Muslims in general and Muslim women in particular but is also a prerequisite to preserve secular democracy. Classical concept of Semitic ideology is a threat to our ago old tradition of multiculturalism. No society can be static and it has to recognise the changing pattern of life, emerging social trends and new cultural aspirations.

All developed democratic countries of the world including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France and Japan, have had such a code within. The Indian secular democracy too must have it. This is simply essential for the sake of national integration, gender justice and above all, the genuine secular character of the Indian State as the world’s largest democracy.

(India Policy Foundation, D-51, Hauz Khas, New Delhi- 110 016)