Chhattisgarh Moves Towards Uniform Civil Code Amid Tribal Rights Concerns

The Chhattisgarh government has taken a significant step towards implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) by constituting a high-level committee. This initiative is aimed at simplifying existing laws and promoting religious and gender equality, as announced during a cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.

The panel, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, is tasked with drafting the UCC for the state. However, the move has sparked controversy, with the opposition Congress labeling it a threat to tribal rights, given the state's diverse population and existing constitutional protections.

Despite the government's intentions to streamline legal processes, the opposition fears that the UCC could undermine tribal communities protected under the Fifth Schedule and PESA Act. Concerns have been raised about potential impacts on particularly vulnerable tribal groups as industrial interests grow in the region.