Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged to implement the Uniform Civil Code across all 21 NDA-ruled states by 2029, reviving debate over Article 44's non-justiciable constitutional mandate.

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• Home Minister Amit Shah announced in Mumbai on September 13 that NDA governments will roll out the Uniform Civil Code in all 21 BJP-NDA-ruled states before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
• Shah made the pledge at a press conference on the BJP's 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan', framed around showcasing 12 years of NDA governance achievements.
• Uttarakhand became the first state to pass a UCC law, in February 2024, and has fully enforced the code since January 2025.
• Gujarat followed by passing the 'Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026' Bill after a seven-hour Assembly debate; the law now awaits presidential assent.
• Assam became the first north-eastern state to pass a UCC Bill, in May 2026, and is also awaiting presidential assent and notification.
• Madhya Pradesh's Cabinet unanimously approved a UCC draft in August 2026, while Maharashtra, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh have so far only set up drafting committees.
• Every operational and pending state UCC model exempts Scheduled Tribes from its provisions, to protect their customary personal-law traditions.
• The Constitution places the UCC under Article 44, a Directive Principle of State Policy in Part IV, making it a non-justiciable goal rather than an enforceable right.
• Marriage, divorce, succession and related civil matters fall under Entry 5 of the Concurrent List, giving state legislatures the competence to enact their own UCC statutes.
• Opposition parties, including Jammu and Kashmir's National Conference, have rejected the state-led rollout, calling it interference with religious and cultural identities.
• The 21st Law Commission's 2018 consultation paper had concluded that a UCC was "neither necessary nor desirable" at that stage, favouring targeted reforms within existing personal laws.
• The debate is expected to feature prominently in Uttar Pradesh's 2027 Assembly election campaign, alongside issues like caste equations, jobs and social justice.