Gujarat HC Upholds Government's Formation of UCC Committee

The Gujarat High Court dismissed a plea challenging the state government's formation of a committee to evaluate the need for a Uniform Civil Code. The court ruled that this was a policy decision within the executive's domain, thus not subject to judicial review under Article 162 of the Constitution.

The Gujarat High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the state's decision to form a committee assessing the need for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The court emphasized that the committee's establishment was a policy decision by the Gujarat government and falls under the executive's jurisdiction.

Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal, along with Justice D N Ray, ruled against intervening in executive functions as defined in Article 162 of the Constitution. This decision follows an earlier rejection by a single judge bench of the HC, which reinforced the separation of powers principle.

The committee, announced in February by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, is led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai. The plea, filed by Surat resident Abdul Vahab Sopariwala, argued for the committee's reconstitution to include minority representation, but was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

(With inputs from agencies.)