Gujarat UCC Bill gets presidential assent; BJP hails it as step towards equality, Congress calls “distraction”

Kevadia (Gujarat) [India], October 2 (ANI): President Droupadi Murmu has given her formal assent to the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026, paving the way for the legislation to take effect in the state. 
The development has triggered contrasting reactions from the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, with the two parties differing sharply over the purpose and potential impact of the legislation.
The BJP welcomed the President's assent and described the legislation as an important step towards equality and women's empowerment.
BJP leader Anil Patel said the President's approval means the UCC Act has now come into effect in Gujarat.
He said the legislation would address issues relating to marriage, divorce, live-in relationships and succession that had previously been governed differently across communities and religious groups.
Anil Patel said, "The President has given her formal assent to the UCC Bill 2026 today; consequently, the UCC Act has now come into effect in Gujarat. I welcome this UCC Act, as it represents a significant step towards women’s empowerment and the principle of equality in the state. The Act will address numerous issues concerning marriage, divorce, live-in relationships, and succession that previously existed across various communities and religious sects. When the architects of the Constitution, including Babasaheb Ambedkar and many others, drafted the document, they clearly articulated the need for a Uniform Civil Code in the country. Today, that objective has been realised in Gujarat."
Meanwhile, the Congress has criticised the enactment of the UCC, arguing that the government should have first consulted Gujarat's diverse communities before bringing the legislation to the Assembly.
President of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, Amit Chavda, said the state was facing several pressing socioeconomic issues, including unemployment, examination paper leaks, concerns over tribal rights, atrocities against Scheduled Castes and minorities, inflation and farmer suicides. He said the government was using the UCC to divert attention from these issues.
Chavda said, "In Gujarat, young people are unemployed, and exam paper leaks are frequent. The tribal community is fighting for its rights over forests and land. Atrocities against SCs and minorities are on the rise. People are distressed by inflation, and farmers are dying by suicide. Indeed, every section of society and every region of Gujarat is suffering today. When the BJP government introduced the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the Assembly, we pointed out that Gujarat is home to diverse communities, castes, and religions, each with its own distinct traditions, customs, and beliefs, and that this Bill ran counter to them. We argued that before introducing such a Bill, there should have been a dialogue with people from all these castes, communities, and faiths to seek their suggestions and hold discussions.”
Chavda further recalled the Congress's objections during the Assembly proceedings, saying his party had sought to have the Bill referred to a Select Committee to enable wider consultations across Gujarat.  
He further said, “We debated this issue in the Assembly and demanded that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee until such consultations could take place across the state. However, they passed the Bill using their majority. Now that the President of India has signed it, I believe it will yield no benefit whatsoever to any tribal person, Dalit, OBC individual, or any Gujarati citizen. It is merely an attempt to distract people from the government’s all-round failures. It will benefit neither the people of Gujarat nor a single Gujarati family"
Earlier this year in March, the Gujarat State Assembly passed the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill 2026, aiming to provide stronger legal protection and equality for women across communities.
According to the Chief Minister's Office, the Bill covers key areas such as marriage, divorce, live-in relationships, maintenance, and inheritance, and seeks to ensure equal rights and legal safeguards for women.
The Chief Minister, Bhupendra Patel, while introducing the bill, said that the move reflects the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat" (One India, Great India), emphasising that equal laws are essential for national unity and development. (ANI)