Kolkata, June 26: The West Bengal Assembly will present a bill related to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on Monday. With this, West Bengal will become the fourth Indian state to replace religion-based personal laws with a unified civil code applicable to all citizens, regardless of religion, caste, or tribe.
Other states that have already adopted the UCC include Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Assam.
A member of the West Bengal Assembly, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the decision to introduce the bill was made during a meeting convened by Speaker Rathindra Bose on Thursday evening. The meeting lasted for a short duration. On Monday, a total of five bills will be presented in the house, with the UCC bill being one of the most significant.
Reports indicate that the meeting also decided to allocate one hour for discussion on the bills, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari participating in the debate.
The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Ritabrata Banerjee, is also expected to be part of the discussion.
Political analysts suggest that this development aligns with the commitments made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during recent election rallies ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, where he promised the implementation of the UCC in the state.
Another significant bill to be introduced on Monday is titled the ‘West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026,’ aimed at addressing anti-social activities in the state.
The proposed bill differs from the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (BNS), 2023 in two main aspects.
Firstly, if an individual is deemed a threat to public safety, the bill allows for preventive detention for up to one year after its enactment.
Secondly, the bill grants the state government the authority to seize the property of individuals involved in such crimes using the relevant provisions of the BNS.
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