The West Bengal government has formed a nine member expert committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, to review and finalise the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill 2026. According to an official notification, the committee will examine the draft law because of its wide scope and legal implications. The proposed legislation is expected to be introduced during the state Assembly’s August session, while indigenous communities are proposed to remain exempt from its provisions.Â
Who Are The Members Of The Committee?
The panel includes:
•   Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai (Chairperson)
•   Tathagata Roy
•   Dushyant Naraiala
•   Shatrughna Singh
•   Sanghamitra Ghosh
•   Dr Ratna Bhattacharya
•   Gopalchandra Misra
•   Osman Gani Mallick
•   Nirmalya Bhattacharyya
What Does The Proposed UCC Bill Aim To Do?
The proposed Uniform Civil Code seeks to introduce a common legal framework for personal civil matters, regardless of religion or community. It is expected to cover issues such as:
•   Marriage
•   Divorce
•   Inheritance
•   Succession
•   Adoption
The proposed law aims to replace religion-based personal laws in these matters with a uniform legal system.
According to the draft proposal, indigenous communities will remain outside the scope of the Uniform Civil Code. The government said constitutional protections available to certain groups will continue.
Why Is Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai Significant?
Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai has previously led committees preparing Uniform Civil Code drafts in Uttarakhand and Gujarat. She is also heading similar UCC panels in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Officials said the West Bengal committee may study UCC models adopted by other states, especially Assam, because of similar demographic and migration-related issues.
Also Read:Â West Bengal Likely To Introduce Uniform Civil Code Bill Today, Which States Have Already Adopted UCC?
