The West Bengal government on Monday, 29 June constituted a high-powered committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to prepare a blueprint for implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari made the announcement during a special session of the West Bengal Assembly, signalling the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s intent to fulfil a key election manifesto promise.

Committee Composition and Timeline

The panel will include a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, a legal expert, an educationist, a social worker, and an Additional Secretary from the General Administration Department of the West Bengal government, who will serve as the committee's secretary. The committee is mandated to submit its recommendations within four weeks, after which the UCC Bill will be placed before the state legislature.

According to Chief Minister Adhikari, the UCC Bill is expected to be tabled in the West Bengal Assembly in August 2026, based on the panel's findings. The draft Bill is scheduled to be placed before the state Cabinet on 2 July for approval.

Why the Bill Was Not Tabled Monday

Initially, the government had planned to introduce the UCC Bill directly on the floor of the House on Monday. However, citing the sensitivity of the subject, Chief Minister Adhikari decided to defer the legislation until the committee's recommendations are received. The move reflects a more consultative approach than was originally envisaged.

Tribal Communities Exempted

Chief Minister Adhikari clarified that tribal communities, indigenous people, Kurmis, and other recognised ancient tribal groups will be excluded from the purview of the proposed law. He noted that this exemption follows the model adopted by Uttarakhand and Gujarat in their respective UCC frameworks.

West Bengal's Place in the UCC Map

If enacted, West Bengal would become the fourth Indian state to implement the UCC, after Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Assam. The state government has drawn on the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026, Assam's UCC Act, and Uttarakhand's Uniform Civil Code Act, 2024 as reference documents for drafting its own legislation.

'The state government has taken this initiative with the aim of implementing a single law across the state instead of having separate personal laws on the basis of religion. The BJP's election manifesto promised to implement the UCC in West Bengal and the government is determined to fulfil that promise. We are committed and we will implement what we have written in the manifesto,' Chief Minister Adhikari said.

This comes amid a broader national push for UCC implementation, with the Centre yet to introduce a uniform federal law. West Bengal's move, if it clears the Assembly, will add political momentum to that debate ahead of the next general election cycle.