NEW DELHI: The Modi government wants to make all civil courts “religion neutral.” That is the thrust of a communication last month by the law ministry to the National Law Commission while urging it to draft a “uniform civil code.” The communication, now available, refers to such a code already in force in Goa. “In our country, in the state of Goa, there is one civil code.”
Asking the Commission if that will serve the purpose at the national level, the communication has asked the law commission to look into examples of Germany, Italy, Egypt and Turkey, where societies are heterogeneous and still “civil code governs people uniformly in such matters.”“The aim of uniform civil code is to divest religion from social relations and personal laws to ensure equality, unity and integrity of the nation and justice to both men and women,” the communication said.
It noted that the government is already bound by Article 44 as a “duty” to implement the uniform civil code in the country, but sent to the law commission for recommendations since the matter is sensitive and requires an in-depth study.
A law ministry official described as absurd anyone claiming that the government is trying to turn the laws governing the Hindus into the uniform or common civil code.
