Uniform Civil Code Has Nothing To Do With Religion, It's A Constitutional Ambition: CJI Surya Kant

During the hearing of a matter relating to Muslim women's inheritance rights, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant today remarked that Uniform Civil Code is a constitutional ambition having "nothing to do with religion".

"Uniform civil code is a constitutional ambition...it has nothing to do with religion", the CJI said.

The remark came in response to a submission by Advocate Prashant Bhushan, for petitioner, that ideally there should be a uniform civil law that governs inheritance rights across all religions, but the current fear in the minds of Muslim persons is that the proposed Uniform Civil Code may result in the imposition of a Hindu Civil Code.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi was hearing a writ petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution challenging provisions of Muslim personal law on inheritance as discriminatory against women. The petition is filed by Advocate Poulomi Pavani Shukla along with an organisation, Nyaya Naari Foundation.

Issuing notice on the same, the Court today called for the Union's response.

Justice Bagchi also expressed during the hearing that "The answer is there in the Constitution," implicitly referring to the Uniform Civil Code. "But how much the society is ready is the question?" the Judge added.

Justice Bagchi further stated,"A scientific, rational, humanistic temper must be developed as encrafted in the fundamental duties." Bhushan then replied, "Unfortunately, we are going in the opposite direction."

Notably, during the hearing of this case in March, CJI Kant had expressed a similar view, saying, "Uniform Civil Code is the answer".

Case Title: POULOMI PAVINI SHUKLA v. UNION OF INDIA | Diary No. 67256/2025