Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday said the state’s proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will legally recognise only one marriage, adding that only those with one legal spouse will have the right to live in the state.
The chief minister said the draft UCC Bill, prepared by a government-appointed committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, will be placed before the state Cabinet at its next meeting and introduced in the Assembly during the Monsoon Session beginning July 20.
‘One Law for Everyone’Speaking about the proposed legislation, Yadav said there should not be separate personal laws for different religious communities.
“Why should there be separate laws for Hindus and Muslims? There should be one law for everyone. If Ram will marry once, why should Rahim marry twice or four times? Muslim sisters are also our sisters,” the chief minister said.
He said the proposed law aims to ensure equality by applying the same legal framework to all citizens in matters such as marriage and family laws.
Refers to Triple Talaq Law
Yadav also referred to the abolition of instant triple talaq, saying the practice was no longer permissible.
“The era of triple talaq is over. Anyone who says ‘talaq’ three times will be sent to jail,” he said.
Instant triple talaq, or Talaq-e-Biddah, was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2017. Parliament later enacted the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, which criminalises the practice and provides for imprisonment of up to three years.
Draft UCC Ready
The draft Uniform Civil Code was submitted to the state government earlier this week by the committee headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The panel has recommended that Adivasi communities be kept outside the ambit of the proposed law.
The Uniform Civil Code seeks to introduce a common legal framework governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, succession and adoption, replacing religion-specific personal laws in these matters.
BJP’s Push for Uniform Civil Code
The Uniform Civil Code has long been part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s agenda. Uttarakhand became the first state after Independence to implement the UCC in January 2025.Since then, several BJP-ruled states have moved towards introducing similar legislation. Gujarat has passed a UCC law, while Assam has approved legislation banning polygamy and introducing mandatory registration of live-in relationships.
Goa continues to follow a common civil code based on the Portuguese Civil Code, which has remained in force since before Independence.
