Maharashtra UCC Committee Faces Setback as Justice R C Chavan Resigns Over Public Feedback Process Dispute

Retired Bombay High Court judge Justice R C Chavan has resigned from the Maharashtra government's committee tasked with preparing the draft and recommendations for implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. His resignation came after the panel's second meeting, with Chavan citing differences over the process of seeking public feedback and questioning the presence of a non-member during the meeting.

Chavan submitted his resignation on September 19, shortly after the committee's online meeting. The Maharashtra government accepted his resignation on Monday, September 21. Uniform Civil Code in Maharashtra: Devendra Fadnavis Forms Expert Panel, Retired Judge Ranjana Desai To Preside.

Differences Over UCC Public Feedback Questionnaire

In an email to the committee, Chavan said one of the key agenda items was to finalise a questionnaire to obtain public feedback on the proposed UCC. According to his account, three members suggested changes to the questionnaire, including a proposal that respondents should answer questions with "yes" or "no". There was also a suggestion that the questionnaire should be professionally reviewed by professors under the supervision of committee member Dr Suvarna Rawal.

Chavan said the committee chairperson, retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai, had already circulated a questionnaire finalised by her and indicated that it would be uploaded once the website was ready. He said this led him to leave the online meeting, believing that the agenda item had already been concluded.

Chavan also said he had initially understood the exercise as an effort to gather views from people across Maharashtra and build consensus on issues related to marriage, family law and dispute resolution. He later said he understood the process as primarily providing respondents with an opportunity to answer specific questions, making the responses easier to analyse. Maharashtra Government Starts Deliberations on Uniform Civil Code, Annoucment of Committee on UCC Likely Next Week.

Justice Chavan Questions Presence of Non-Member

Chavan's resignation email also raised questions about the presence and role of a person who was not a member of the committee. According to his account, the individual discussed changes required on the website being prepared by state government officials for the public feedback exercise. Chavan questioned the person's role in the committee meeting. The account has been reported as part of Chavan's resignation communication. There has been no public response from committee chairperson Justice Ranjana Desai on the allegations so far.

Seven-Member Maharashtra UCC Committee

The Maharashtra government formed the seven-member UCC committee in July 2026, with Justice Ranjana Desai as its chairperson. The panel was tasked with preparing rules and recommendations for implementing the Uniform Civil Code in the state. The committee originally included Justice R C Chavan and retired Bombay High Court judge Justice S G Mehare, along with former Maharashtra chief secretary D K Jain, former advocate general Virendra Saraf, constitutional expert Ramesh Patange and educationist and social worker Suvarna Rawal.

The government had indicated that the committee would submit its report within a specified timeframe, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying the state would move towards implementation after receiving the panel's recommendations.

What Is the Uniform Civil Code?

The Uniform Civil Code seeks to establish a common set of civil laws governing matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption, irrespective of religion. These areas are currently governed in part by different personal laws applicable to various religious communities.

Maharashtra's move follows UCC-related initiatives in other states. Uttarakhand has already implemented a UCC, while Assam has taken legislative steps on the issue. The resignation of Justice Chavan comes as the Maharashtra committee continues its work on gathering public feedback and preparing recommendations for the proposed legal framework.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 22, 2026 11:09 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).