A Uniform Civil Code (UCC) means one set of laws on marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and maintenance for all citizens, replacing religion-based personal laws. The Constitution mentions it as something the State should work towards. Goa has had a common family law since Portuguese rule.
Key facts
- Goa kept a common civil code from the Portuguese period, so it was long the only Indian example.
- Uttarakhand's UCC Act of 2024, in force from January 2025, was the first post-independence state UCC; it excludes Scheduled Tribes.
- Shah Bano (1985): the Supreme Court backed maintenance for a divorced Muslim woman and urged a UCC; Parliament then passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986.
- The 21st Law Commission (2018) said a UCC was 'neither necessary nor desirable at this stage'; the 22nd Commission sought public views in 2023.
Latest
Gujarat's UCC Bill passed on 24 March 2026 and got Presidential assent on 17 September 2026, making Gujarat the second state with a comprehensive UCC after Uttarakhand; Madhya Pradesh's cabinet approved a draft bill in July 2026.
Why exams ask about it
Exams ask which Article and Part of the Constitution mention it, which states have passed one and in what order, and the Shah Bano link.