Uniform Civil Code Bill expected in West Bengal Assembly today as BJP moves ahead with UCC pledge
The Statesman | 29 June 2026
The BJP government’s push for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in West Bengal has moved into sharper political focus, with party leaders saying the Bill is expected to be introduced in the state Assembly on June 29.
The proposed move has opened a fresh political front in the state. BJP leaders have framed the UCC as part of the party’s long-standing ideological promise, while the Congress has called for a wider debate before any decision is taken.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said the party had never hidden its position on the Uniform Civil Code.
“The BJP has no hidden agenda. Since the BJP was born, it has been talking about UCC… Even when we had 2 MPs, we talked about UCC, and now with 303, we are still talking about UCC. Wherever the BJP government comes to power, UCC will be implemented, but when and how it will happen will be decided by the West Bengal government… It’s not just the BJP across the country; many sections of society, including many from the minority communities, want UCC. There should be one law in one country; this is the demand of the people,” Bhattacharya said.
His remarks came after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the UCC would be implemented in the state.
Adhikari said the procedure would be explained in the Assembly. He also said a committee had been formed under a sitting inquiry authority.
“The Uniform Civil Code will happen in Bengal. There is a procedure that we will tell you in the Assembly. A committee has been formed under the leadership of the sitting inquiry. The way it happened in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Assam, it will be done through the same procedure,” he said.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar also defended the move, saying the UCC had been a key promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“The UCC has been a key part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s manifesto… Our government is working in accordance with our manifesto,” Majumdar said.
He also referred to remarks by Adhikari on “Love Jihad” and “Land Jihad” and linked the issue to concerns over demographic change.
“As for the issues of ‘Love Jihad’ and ‘Land Jihad’ mentioned by Suvendu Adhikari, the Prime Minister has also expressed concern regarding demographic changes. In the future, a Demographic Commission will address this,” he said.
Majumdar alleged that demographic changes in several parts of the country, including Bengal, had been influenced by such factors.
“If you look at the demographic changes occurring in many parts of the country, including Bengal, ‘Land Jihad’ and similar factors have played a significant role. Our government is moving forward in that very direction,” he said.
The Union Minister claimed there was not much opposition to the proposal.
“The West Bengal government has decided to introduce the UCC, and everyone will abide by it; I feel there isn’t much opposition to it either,” he said.
West Bengal Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar said the proposed law should not be pushed through without a larger public and legislative discussion.
“I would say this: there must be a comprehensive discussion on the UCC–its advantages, disadvantages, and whether it is good or bad. There should be criticism, followed by debates on the floor of the House and further discussions to foster a meaningful discourse,” Sarkar said.
He said the government should also consider India’s diversity before moving ahead.
“The government ought to pay attention to all these aspects. What happens to our multi-party, multi-cultural, multi-lingual, and multi-cuisine diversity? Unity in diversity is the greatest beauty of our nation,” he added.
West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh said the UCC Bill would eventually clear the Assembly.
“The UCC bill is bound to be passed. It has been passed in many states, and the process has begun here as well. It is up to the government to decide the next steps, when the bill will be introduced and what will happen,” Ghosh said.
West Bengal Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay said the Bill would be introduced in the Assembly on June 29.
“We had clearly stated our position on the UCC in our manifesto. On the 29th, we will introduce the UCC in the Bengal Legislative Assembly, pass it, and ensure Bengal joins the club of states that have enacted the UCC,” he said.
The BJP had promised the implementation of the UCC during the West Bengal Assembly election campaign. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also reiterated the party’s promise to bring the law after securing a majority in the 294-member Assembly.