New Delhi: The Maharashtra government has inducted retired civil servant Shatrughna Singh into the state’s Uniform Civil Code (UCC) committee, days after retired Bombay High Court judge Justice R C Chavan resigned from the panel following differences over its functioning and the public consultation process.
Singh was appointed member-cum-senior adviser to the committee on September 21, 2026. He had attended the panel’s September 19 meeting as an adviser, and his presence was specifically referred to by Justice Chavan in his resignation communication.
The seven-member committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai, was constituted by the Maharashtra government in July to prepare a draft UCC and recommendations for its implementation in the state.
Shatrughna Singh Joins Maharashtra UCC Committee
According to a senior government official cited in reports, Singh was appointed at the request of committee chairperson Justice Ranjana Desai. The official said Desai wanted Singh to be part of the panel because of his previous experience with the implementation framework for Uttarakhand’s UCC.
Singh is a retired 1983-batch IAS officer and former Uttarakhand Chief Secretary. He previously worked with Justice Desai on Uttarakhand’s UCC exercise.
His experience includes:
- Serving on the Uttarakhand UCC committee headed by Justice Ranjana Desai.
- Participating in the sub-committee involved in drafting the law.
- Being part of stakeholder consultations.
- Heading the committee responsible for framing rules for implementation of Uttarakhand’s UCC.
- Being associated with a West Bengal committee formed to work on UCC implementation.
Uttarakhand’s UCC Bill was passed by the state Assembly in February 2024 and received Presidential assent the following month. The law came into force on January 27, 2025.
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Justice RC Chavan Resigns From Maharashtra UCC Panel
Justice R C Chavan resigned from the Maharashtra UCC committee after its September 19 meeting. He had raised concerns over the process of seeking public feedback and the presence of a person who was not then formally listed as a committee member.
Chavan’s resignation communication referred to the presence of Singh at the meeting. Justice Chavan later said he had not been informed beforehand about Singh’s appointment as an adviser.
The Maharashtra government subsequently appointed Singh as a member-cum-senior adviser on September 21.
Differences Over UCC Public Consultation Questionnaire
The committee’s September 19 meeting also saw differences over the questionnaire being prepared to seek public feedback on the proposed UCC.
According to reports, Justice Chavan favoured including more subjective questions so that respondents could provide detailed views. The committee, however, decided to proceed with a combination of objective and subjective questions.
The questionnaire is expected to contain close to three dozen questions and is being prepared for public consultation.
Singh also raised issues concerning modifications to the website being prepared for the consultation process, including the introductory material explaining the UCC and the way the questionnaire would be presented online.
Maharashtra UCC Committee Constituted in July
The Maharashtra government constituted the seven-member UCC committee in July 2026, with Justice Ranjana Desai as its chairperson.
The committee has been tasked with preparing a draft framework and recommendations for implementing a Uniform Civil Code in Maharashtra. The government had given the panel six months to submit its draft.
The other members include:
- Retired Bombay High Court judge Justice S G Mehare.
- Former Maharashtra Chief Secretary D K Jain.
- Former Advocate General Birendra Saraf.
- Social activist and Padma Shri awardee Ramesh Patange.
- Education expert Suvarna Rawal.
The committee’s work covers issues relating to the proposed common civil framework and the process for its implementation in the state.
What Is the Uniform Civil Code?
The Uniform Civil Code refers to a common set of laws governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, succession and maintenance.
UCC has been part of the BJP’s stated political agenda for several decades and was also included among its 2024 general election promises. The issue concerns replacing or harmonising different personal-law provisions applicable to different communities with a common legal framework.
Several states have taken steps towards UCC legislation or implementation. Uttarakhand became the first state to enact and implement a UCC, with its law coming into force in January 2025. Gujarat, Assam and Madhya Pradesh have also passed UCC legislation, according to reports.
Maharashtra Government Plans UCC Legislation
The Maharashtra government’s committee is expected to submit its recommendations within the six-month timeframe given to it.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said the state government aims to introduce a UCC Bill during the winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly in December, subject to the committee submitting its report.
The induction of Shatrughna Singh adds an official with previous experience in drafting and implementing a UCC framework to the Maharashtra panel, while the committee continues its work on public consultation and the proposed legal framework.
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