Devendra Fadnavis Forms Committee to Draft Maharashtra Uniform Civil Code

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the formation of a seven-member expert committee on July 9, 2026, to draft rules for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Maharashtra. The panel is chaired by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Desai, who previously led the drafting of Uttarakhand's UCC. Other members include former High Court judges R.C. Chavan and S.G. Mehare, former chief secretary D.K. Jain, former advocate general Birendra Saraf, constitutional expert Ramesh Patange, and educationist Suvarna Rawal.

The committee has six months to study the legal, social, and administrative aspects of the code and submit its recommendations. The government intends to finalize a draft and introduce the UCC Bill for passage in both the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council during the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur this December.

Fadnavis argued that a common civil framework regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption would uphold constitutional values of equality and the Directive Principles of State Policy. Minister Ashish Shelar stated the move fulfills a previous commitment made by the Chief Minister to the House. However, Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh criticized the panel's composition, noting that no Muslim representatives were included and demanding minority representation to avoid unilateral decisions on personal laws.