The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the composition of a five-member committee constituted by the state government to examine the need for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), rejecting claims that the panel’s lack of minority representation violated constitutional guarantees.
A bench of Justice Niral S Mehta pronounced a brief order stating, “Dismissed,” with a detailed judgment expected to follow.
The petition was filed by Abdul Vahab Sopariwala, a resident of Surat, who argued that the absence of members from religious minority communities in the UCC panel undermined its inclusivity and objectivity. He contended that such representation was crucial to ensure that the committee reflects the diversity of India’s pluralistic society, particularly when examining personal laws that affect various communities.
The state government had announced the formation of the UCC committee on February 4, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel stating that it would both assess the necessity of a UCC and draft a potential bill. The petitioner claimed that no public notification had been issued regarding the committee’s formation.
Challenging the panel’s composition, the plea asserted that the lack of minority members violated Articles 14 (equality before law), 15 (prohibition of discrimination), and 25 (freedom of religion) of the Constitution. Sopariwala said he had earlier submitted a representation to the chief minister on March 16, requesting changes to the committee.
The petition sought a reconstitution of the committee to include individuals with expertise in personal laws and representatives from affected communities. It also urged the court to direct the state to undertake a broad-based consultative process before implementing any legislation related to the UCC.
The existing committee is chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai and includes retired IAS officer C. L. Meena, advocate R. C. Kodekar, former Veer Narmad South Gujarat University vice-chancellor Dakshesh Thakar, and social activist Geetaben Shroff.
