Story perspectives

Judge R.C. Chavan Quits UCC Drafting Committee Over Rushing

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 10:12 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Retired Bombay High Court judge R.C. Chavan resigned from Maharashtra’s Uniform Civil Code drafting committee on 19 September 2026.
He said committee meetings were rushed and the public questionnaire was reduced to simple yes-or-no answers.
He claimed agenda items like website changes and questionnaire finalisation were disposed of quickly on chairperson Justice Ranjana Desai’s directions.
He proposed a gender-neutral, areligious UCC that preserves families, grants equal inheritance and treats all children as legitimate.

History

Historical Context

The Hindu Succession Act, passed by Parliament on 18 May 1956 under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, gave Hindu women absolute ownership of property. Its 2005 amendment later granted daughters equal inheritance with sons. Today, Bombay High Court judge R. C. Chavan resigned from Maharashtra’s Civil Code drafting committee chaired by Justice Ranjana Desai, reviving debate over gender-neutral personal law.

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Story summary

Retired Bombay High Court judge R.C. Chavan resigned from Maharashtra’s Uniform Civil Code drafting committee on 19 September 2026.
He said committee meetings were rushed and the public questionnaire was reduced to simple yes-or-no answers.
He claimed agenda items like website changes and questionnaire finalisation were disposed of quickly on chairperson Justice Ranjana Desai’s directions.
He proposed a gender-neutral, areligious UCC that preserves families, grants equal inheritance and treats all children as legitimate.

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