 Bill in the State Assembly on Monday){kind=link}
The proposed legislation seeks to replace religion-specific personal laws with a common civil framework
June 26, 2026: The BJP government in West Bengal is set to introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the State Assembly on Monday during the ongoing Budget session. The move comes within months of the party forming the government and ahead of the six-month timeline promised in its 2026 Assembly election manifesto. If passed, the legislation will replace religion-specific personal laws with a common legal framework governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption.
According to the government, the Bill aims to establish uniform civil laws applicable to all citizens regardless of religion. It is also expected to prohibit practices such as polygamy and triple talaq, with the BJP arguing that such reforms are necessary to ensure equality before the law. During the Assembly election campaign, Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the proposal, stating that a common civil code would promote equal rights for all citizens.
The proposed legislation is expected to trigger intense political debate. The BJP says the UCC will strengthen legal equality and protect women’s rights, while opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress, have criticised the proposal, arguing that it could interfere with religious customs and community-specific personal laws. The Bill is being introduced shortly after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari paid tribute to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and announced plans for a national-level Vande Mataram museum in Kolkata.