Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, asserted that the core essence of other religions and faiths are also aligned with the overarching objectives of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), signalling his government's continued push to build cross-community consensus around the proposed legislation.

Context

Sarma's statement comes as the BJP-led government in Assam has been conducting public consultations on introducing the UCC in the state. The Chief Minister has consistently framed the code not as a measure targeting any single community, but as a unifying legal framework compatible with the spiritual values shared across India's diverse religious traditions.

In the post, Sarma stated: 'The core essence of other religions and faiths are also aligned with the overarching objectives of the UCC.' The remark is notable for its conciliatory framing, seeking to pre-empt objections from minority communities who have historically viewed the UCC with suspicion.

Policy Backdrop

Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to enact a UCC law in February 2024, passing the Uniform Civil Code Bill in its Legislative Assembly and providing a legislative template for other BJP-ruled states. The BJP has included the UCC in its election manifestos — most notably in 2019 — anchoring it to Article 44 of the Constitution, a Directive Principle of State Policy that calls for a common civil code for all citizens.

The code seeks to replace religion-specific personal laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption with a single uniform statute. Proponents argue this advances gender justice and legal equality; critics from several religious communities contend it infringes on constitutionally protected religious freedoms.

Stakeholders and Impact

Women's groups have broadly welcomed the UCC's potential to equalise rights in matters of marriage and inheritance that are currently governed by unequal personal laws. Religious communities — particularly Muslim personal law bodies and some tribal organisations in the North-East — have raised concerns about the erosion of customary practices protected under the Constitution.

Sarma's framing that 'the core essence' of all faiths aligns with UCC objectives appears designed to address those concerns directly, positioning the code as spiritually consonant rather than culturally disruptive. Assam's demographic complexity, with significant Muslim, Hindu, tribal, and Christian populations, makes this messaging particularly consequential.

What's Next

The immediate question is whether Assam will introduce a UCC bill in the state Assembly, following Uttarakhand's lead. Parallel discussions have been reported in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, suggesting a coordinated BJP strategy to expand state-level UCC adoption ahead of any central legislation. Any bill tabled in Guwahati would likely face scrutiny in the Gauhati High Court and potentially the Supreme Court, particularly over its applicability to constitutionally protected tribal customary laws in the region.