The West Bengal cabinet on Thursday approved the formation of a committee to examine the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill, marking the state's first formal step towards implementing the legislation.
West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul on Thursday said that the panel will have four weeks to examine the draft legislation before submitting its recommendations.
Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Paul said, "The state Cabinet has approved the formation of a committee to examine the West Bengal Uniform Civil Code 2026 draft Bill."
She added, “The committee headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai will have four weeks to examine it, after which it will be placed in the [West Bengal] Assembly.”
The Cabinet's decision comes days after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari formally initiated the process of implementing the Uniform Civil Code in West Bengal.
The UCC was among the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) key promises during the 2026 Assembly elections, which ended the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule in the state.
Adhikari told the Assembly that the government would introduce the UCC Bill during the extended Budget Session scheduled for August.
According to The Indian Express, Adhikari said, "The Uniform Civil Code will definitely be implemented in Bengal. There is a specific process for it... We will bring this Bill after examining the examples of Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam."
Adhikari also said the proposed UCC Bill would not apply to tribal communities and indigenous people.
In West Bengal, where issues such as identity, migration, citizenship and religion have long influenced political discourse, the proposed Uniform Civil Code is expected to have implications beyond its legal framework.
For the BJP, the UCC fulfils one of its key electoral and ideological commitments.
On the other hand, opposition parties are likely to use the proposal to challenge one of the new government's flagship initiatives.
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