Bhopal

The Madhya Pradesh government has constituted a six-member committee headed by retired Supreme Court of India judge Justice Ranjana Prasad Desai to prepare a draft bill on the Uniform Civil Code within 60 days, an official said on Tuesday.

In a notification issued late Monday night, the state government said the panel would recommend provisions for implementing the UCC in the state.

According to the notification, there is a growing need for a uniform civil code governing matters such as marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance and related social customs.

The committee has been tasked with studying practices followed by different communities and examining UCC models implemented in Uttarakhand and Gujarat before submitting recommendations suited to Madhya Pradesh’s social, cultural and economic context.

The panel will also invite suggestions and objections from stakeholders and ensure protection of the rights of women and children. It has additionally been asked to ensure that its recommendations are legally sound and do not create complications for stakeholders.

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Other members of the committee include retired IAS officer Shatrughan Singh, legal expert Anoop Nair, academician Gopal Sharma, social worker Budhpal Singh and Ajay Katseriya.