Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday, 15 September challenged the decision of BJP-ruled states to independently pursue a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), asserting that legislation of such national significance must first come before Parliament rather than being introduced piecemeal across individual states. Abdullah made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Srinagar.

Abdullah's Core Challenge

'If you have the numbers, bring it to Parliament. Why are you doing it separately in different states?' Abdullah asked pointedly. He argued that a code described as 'uniform' loses its very meaning if it is enforced only in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 'The whole country is not BJP-ruled. There are a number of states and territories that the BJP does not govern,' he said.

Cracks Within the NDA

Abdullah also drew attention to reported divisions within the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) itself. He noted that Janata Dal-United (JD-U) has reportedly stated it will not implement the UCC in Bihar. 'So if their own allies are not ready for it, how can they say that it should be implemented across the country?' he said. The JD-U's public resistance, according to Abdullah, undercuts the BJP's claim of a broad consensus even within its own coalition.

The Parliamentary Argument

The J&K Chief Minister argued that Parliament — not individual state assemblies — is the legitimate arena for a reform of this scale, since it alone represents the entire country. 'Something of this nature should not be decided by individual states. It has to be decided by the country as a whole. The entire country is represented not in the states, but in the Parliament. Let the legislation come to Parliament,' he said.

He also juxtaposed the UCC push with other high-profile legislative ambitions. 'So far, whenever they have talked about legislation in the Parliament, whether it is 'One Nation, One Election' or reservation, they have not brought it to the Parliament. Now, with this too, they are talking about bringing it in the states. Bring it to the Parliament and let us see whether you can pass it,' Abdullah said.

What Is the UCC

The Uniform Civil Code is a proposed single legislative framework that would replace religion-based personal laws — governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption — with a common set of rules applicable to all citizens of India, irrespective of religion. It has remained one of the most politically contested reform proposals in the country. Uttarakhand became the first state to enact a UCC law in 2024, and several other BJP-governed states have since indicated they may follow suit.

Political Context

Abdullah's remarks come amid a broader debate over whether individual states have the constitutional authority or political mandate to enact a UCC independently, given that personal law is a concurrent subject under the Indian Constitution. Critics of the state-by-state approach argue it creates a fragmented legal landscape rather than a genuinely uniform one. Supporters counter that state-level implementation can serve as a model for eventual national legislation. With the BJP lacking a majority in the Rajya Sabha to push through transformative legislation unilaterally, the state route is widely seen as a political and legislative workaround.