Rajasthan UCC Bill draft sent to Law Minister Jogaram Patel after legal review
Synopsis
Rajasthan's 200-page Uniform Civil Code Bill has cleared legal review and landed on Law Minister Jogaram Patel's desk — with a Cabinet vote expected as early as Thursday. Drafted by a panel led by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and modelled partly on Uttarakhand's enacted UCC, the bill could make Rajasthan the next BJP state to formally advance uniform civil law, with tribal communities exempted on constitutional grounds.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan's 200-page UCC Bill draft cleared legal scrutiny and was forwarded to Law Minister Jogaram Patel on 13 August .
The draft was prepared by a committee led by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and submitted to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma last week.
The state Cabinet is expected to take up the Bill on Thursday , chaired by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma .
The draft draws from legal provisions in Uttarakhand (which has enacted a UCC) and Gujarat (which has passed but not enacted its UCC Bill).
Tribal communities are reportedly kept outside the Bill's ambit due to constitutional considerations.
The UCC covers marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption , and property rights uniformly across religions, while leaving religious customs untouched.
Rajasthan's proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill moved a significant step closer to legislation on 13 August as the approximately 200-page draft cleared legal scrutiny and was forwarded by the Law Department to Law Minister Jogaram Patel for approval. If Patel clears the draft, it is expected to be tabled before the state Cabinet on Thursday, with Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma chairing the meeting.
How the Draft Reached This Stage
The draft was prepared by a committee headed by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The committee submitted the completed draft to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma last week, after which the Home Department forwarded it to the Law Department on Monday for legal review. The scrutiny ran through Monday night and into Tuesday before the document was cleared and passed on to the Law Minister.
According to reports, the committee examined UCC-related laws and legislative provisions in states that have already advanced such frameworks, alongside Supreme Court guidelines and suggestions received from the public during consultations.
What the Draft Draws From
The Rajasthan draft has reportedly drawn from the legal provisions of Uttarakhand and Gujarat. Uttarakhand has already implemented a Uniform Civil Code, making it the first state to do so. Gujarat passed its UCC Bill in the Assembly, though it has not yet been enacted into law. Rajasthan, if it proceeds, would become the third BJP-governed state to formally advance such legislation.
Notably, sources indicate that tribal communities have been kept outside the proposed legislation's ambit, citing constitutional considerations — a provision consistent with how other states have handled the politically sensitive question of tribal customary law.
Cabinet Meeting and Next Steps
The Rajasthan government's next Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, is expected to take up the UCC Bill as a key agenda item on Thursday. Deputy Chief Ministers Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa, along with other members of the Council of Ministers and senior officials, are expected to attend the meeting at the Chief Minister's Office in the Secretariat.
If the Cabinet approves the draft, the government will proceed with the next legislative steps for formally introducing the Bill in the state Assembly.
What the UCC Proposes
The Uniform Civil Code is intended to provide a common legal framework governing personal civil matters — including marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and property rights — irrespective of religion. It seeks to replace separate religion-based personal laws with uniform civil provisions, with proposed measures relating to gender equality, compulsory registration of marriages, and standardised procedures for family and personal-law matters.
Critically, the UCC does not seek to prohibit religious customs, traditions, or rituals. Its stated focus is on creating uniform legal rules governing civil and family-related rights and obligations, leaving religious practice untouched.
With the Cabinet meeting days away, Rajasthan's UCC Bill is poised to enter its most consequential legislative phase yet.
Point of View
Days before Independence Day, is unlikely to be coincidental. The decision to exempt tribal communities mirrors Uttarakhand's approach and reflects a political calculation as much as a constitutional one: pushing UCC while avoiding a direct confrontation with Adivasi groups that have historically resisted uniform personal law. The deeper question is whether the Bill's provisions on gender equality — compulsory marriage registration, standardised divorce procedures — will be backed by enforcement mechanisms, or remain aspirational. Uttarakhand's UCC, now over a year old, has yet to demonstrate measurable outcomes on the ground. Rajasthan's version will face the same test.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Rajasthan UCC Bill?
The Rajasthan Uniform Civil Code Bill is a proposed state law that would create a common legal framework for personal civil matters — including marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and property rights — applicable to all residents irrespective of religion. The approximately 200-page draft was prepared by a committee led by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai.
Where does the Rajasthan UCC Bill stand now?
As of 13 August, the draft has cleared legal review by the Law Department and has been forwarded to Law Minister Jogaram Patel for approval. If he clears it, the Bill is expected to be placed before the state Cabinet on Thursday for further action.
How does Rajasthan's UCC compare to Uttarakhand's?
Uttarakhand was the first state to implement a Uniform Civil Code and its legislation has already come into force. Rajasthan's draft has reportedly drawn from Uttarakhand's legal provisions, as well as from Gujarat's UCC Bill, which was passed in the Assembly but has not yet been enacted.
Are tribal communities covered under the Rajasthan UCC?
No. According to sources, tribal communities have been kept outside the proposed legislation's ambit due to constitutional considerations, consistent with how other states have approached the issue of tribal customary law under the UCC framework.
What happens after Cabinet approval of the Rajasthan UCC Bill?
If the Cabinet approves the draft on Thursday, the government will proceed with the next legislative steps, which would involve formally introducing the Bill in the Rajasthan state Assembly for debate and passage.
