Gujarat HC Upholds Formation of UCC Committee Amidst Controversy

The Gujarat High Court has ruled that the state government's formation of a five-member committee to assess the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) does not disadvantage any societal group. This decision was reached after rejecting a plea challenging the committee's make-up, which lacked minority community representation.

On February 4, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced the establishment of the committee, with retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai as its chairperson. The court determined that the selection of committee members is within the government's exclusive domain, rendering any court intervention unnecessary.

Critics, led by petitioner Abdul Vahab Sopariwala, argued for a more diverse panel. However, the court held that the administrative nature of this decision, under Article 162 of the Constitution, does not require adherence to statutory obligations, dismissing the call for a reconstitution.

(With inputs from agencies.)