NEW DELHI: According to the All India Lawyers Union (AILU), the imposition of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage. The union criticized the concept of UCC being promoted by the Prime Minister of India, calling it inappropriate, ill-motivated, and detrimental to democracy.
AILU highlighted the discriminatory provisions against women in the Goa Civil Code, stating that a Hindu man can marry a second wife if his Hindu wife fails to deliver a child before the age of 25 or fails to deliver a son before the age of 30. Additionally, adultery committed by a Hindu woman is grounds for divorce, while the same act by a Hindu man does not lead to divorce. AILU argued that a Common Civil Code is not a solution to address such disparities.
General Secretary P.V. Surendranath, representing AILU, expressed disappointment in the government's failure to introduce legislation for women's reservation in legislative assemblies and Parliament. AILU emphasized the need for gender justice and empowering women to strengthen democracy and society.
AILU stated that homogenizing diverse cultural practices is not true secularism but rather counterproductive to the nation's integration. The union believes that a fresh deliberation on the UCC is necessary and appealed to the Law Commission to withdraw from the present exercise.
AILU also criticized the government's lack of action on the 21st Law Commission Consultation Paper on Reform of Family Law, which addressed discriminatory family laws of various religions. The union alleged that there has been no follow-up action or efforts to initiate a consensus-building debate based on the paper.
The 22nd Law Commission, led by former Karnataka HC's Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, invited public views and ideas to examine the UCC. AILU urged the Law Commission to reconsider its approach and withdraw from the current exercise, advocating for a comprehensive reevaluation of the UCC proposal.
Understanding the Uniform Civil Code: A Step towards Equality and Unity