Overview

• A five-member committee led by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Desai met with CM Patel on August 5 and confirmed it will submit its final report by August 31 without seeking further extensions.
• The panel received about 1.5 lakh public submissions, surpassing its original 45-day deadline and prompting three extensions to ensure broad stakeholder input.
• After receiving the report, the BJP-ruled government plans to introduce and seek passage of the Uniform Civil Code during the upcoming monsoon session of the Gujarat Assembly.
• If approved, Gujarat would become the second state after Uttarakhand to enact a Uniform Civil Code under Article 44 of the Constitution.
• Critics including minority and tribal groups have launched legal challenges over representation and potential effects on personal law protections.