Uniform Civil Code in Maharashtra: Panel led by retired judge to prepare draft

3 min readMumbaiJun 23, 2026 02:53 PM IST

Minister of State (Home) Yogesh Kadam's statement on Maharashtra implementing the UCC came in response to a calling attention motion raised by BJP MLA Devyani Farande. (File Photo)

The Maharashtra government has approved the formation of a committee headed by a retired high court judge to examine the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state, Minister of State (Home) Yogesh Kadam informed the state Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. The UCC will be implemented after receiving the report, he added.

“The Maharashtra government is positive about the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code. The chief minister has given his nod to form a committee led by a retired high court judge to prepare a UCC draft. Once it is submitted, the UCC will be implemented,” Kadam said. He was replying to a calling attention motion raised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Devyani Farande over the instances of triple talaq in Nashik district.

Earlier, Farande had claimed that despite the Centre banning it, triple talaq instances are on the rise. She said she has received complaints from three Muslim women regarding threats, violence and triple talaq.

Demanding to know the state government’s stand on polygamy, Farande asked if UCC will be brought in Maharashtra on the lines of Uttarakhand and Gujarat. “Assam has banned polygamy. Will Maharashtra do the same?” she asked.

In response, Kadam added that once UCC is brought, the ban on polygamy will be included. “The government is not against any religion or an individual. The UCC will be applicable to every individual, irrespective of their religion,” he said.

NCP MLA Sana Malik counters argument

During the discussion, ruling NCP MLA Sana Malik countered Farande, asking whether only Muslim women are suffering from the violence and whether polygamy was in existence in Islam alone? “I want to inform that only instant talaq has been banned and not triple talaq,” she said.

Malik’s remarks drew support from the Opposition, even as BJP MLAs said that the state will be governed by the Constitution and not by any religious scripture. The exchange sparked a commotion within the Assembly, with members engaging in heated exchanges.

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Kadam informed the Assembly that in 2024, around 42 cases of triple talaq were registered, where 152 arrests were made. In 2025, he said, around 39 cases were registered, leading to 95 arrests. “It shows that the practice is still in existence and needs to be tackled using the law,” said Kadam, assuring swift action against the accused. The minister maintained that the government is not against any religion but is interested in extending help to women, irrespective of their religion.

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues.

Expertise

Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai.

Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands').

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Maharashtra government

UCC

Uniform Civil Code