The Bengal Cabinet on Thursday approved the formation of a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai to examine the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, taking the BJP government's flagship social reform agenda a step closer to becoming law in the state.
Minister Agnimitra Paul said the panel would have four weeks to scrutinise the draft legislation and submit its recommendations.
"The state cabinet has approved the formation of a committee to examine the West Bengal Uniform Civil Code 2026 draft bill. The committee headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai will have four weeks to examine it, after which it will be placed in the Assembly," Paul told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
The decision comes three days after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari formally launched the process of bringing a UCC in West Bengal, one of the BJP's key electoral promises in the 2026 Assembly polls that ended the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule in the state.
Announcing the initiative in the Assembly on Monday, Adhikari had said the government would introduce the UCC bill during the extended Budget Session scheduled in August.
Rebel Trinamool Congress MLAs, led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, opposed the proposal during the Assembly proceedings.
Adhikari, however, said that anyone with objections could submit their views to the committee.
Political analysts said the move is likely to trigger intense political and legal debate in the state, with opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee, raising concerns that a UCC could impact religious freedoms and community identities.
According to BJP insiders, the proposed UCC in Bengal is expected to enforce gender parity in ancestral property rights, ban polygamy and strengthen safeguards against child marriage by invalidating underage unions irrespective of customary or religious sanctions.
It is also likely to mandate registration of live-in relationships with district magistrates and prescribe penalties for non-compliance.
The committee will first invite public suggestions, examine legal implications and then submit its final report to the Chief Minister.
