In a decisive step towards implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Chhattisgarh, the Vishnu Deo Sai government has constituted a high-powered expert committee to draft the landmark legislation. The General Administration Department (GAD) formally issued the notification authorising the panel, with Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai later sharing the executive order on social media, outlining the framework for the proposed legislation. The State Government has appointed retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai as Chairperson of the five-member drafting committee. Justice Desai brings extensive experience to the role, having earlier headed the committee that drafted the Uniform Civil Code for Uttarakhand. She is also currently leading similar committees constituted by the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. According to the official notification, the committee comprises a blend of experienced legal experts and retired senior bureaucrats. Besides Justice Desai, the members include retired IAS officers Shatrughan Singh and M K Raut, senior advocate Mohan Pawar, and former principal Rani Singh. The committee has been entrusted with a comprehensive mandate to facilitate the state’s transition towards a Uniform Civil Code. Its responsibilities include reviewing and evaluating the existing legal framework and statutory provisions governing personal laws in Chhattisgarh; formulating uniform recommendations and legal provisions relating to marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance, succession and adoption; studying the legal frameworks, implementation strategies and draft legislations prepared by other states; conducting extensive consultations with citizens, social organisations, legal experts and other stakeholders; and preparing the final draft of the Uniform Civil Code Bill along with recommendations for its legislative and administrative implementation. The move follows the state Cabinet’s decision on April 15 to constitute a high-level committee for drafting a Uniform Civil Code. The state government has maintained that replacing multiple personal laws with a uniform legal framework would simplify legal procedures, promote gender equality and ensure greater uniformity in the administration of justice. However, opposition parties have expressed concerns over the possible impact of the proposed code on the customary rights and traditions of tribal communities. With the issuance of the notification, the formal process of drafting the Uniform Civil Code for Chhattisgarh has now commenced.