Channel: The Wire

Category: News & Politics

Tags: politicsmuslimgenderamendmentsindiaequal rightstop newsadoptionucccivil codetermsrightspropertyindian economyjusticedivorcehindu lawtop headlineshindu codethe wire videossuccessionlawslawhindu succession acthindu lawspersonaleconomythe wire newselectionsreformsthe wireequallatest newstraditionallatest from indiauniform civil codehinduproposedthe wire hindiindia newsarticle 44citizenswomenterritory

Description: What does the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) look like? In the popular imagination, the UCC will do away with personal laws. The votaries of the UCC within the Bharatiya Janata Party posit it as a necessary step towards gender equality. This is a thinly veiled reference to personal laws, which have not kept pace with modern times. Hindu laws have, of course, been updated since the Hindu Code reforms of the 1950s to the extent that Hindu succession and divorce laws are now in a position to be called gender just. On the other hand, Muslim personal laws provided women a much fairer deal than traditional Hindu law, but with the Hindu Code reforms, culminating in the 2005 amendments to the Hindu Succession Act, they are a step behind in terms of gender justice regarding the law of succession. While the reform of laws for the cause of gender justice is welcome, the form of the proposed UCC remains a mystery, unaddressed by polemical speakers. What is required to make our laws gender just? A declaration of equal property rights and equal rights to seek a divorce, seek maintenance and adoption is definitely a good start but is not sufficient by itself to achieve gender justice. These are reforms to personal laws alone. Article 44 of the constitution reads as follows: “Uniform civil code for the citizens – The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.” Join The Wire's Youtube Membership and get exclusive content, member-only emojis, live interaction with The Wire's founders, editors and reporters and much more. Memberships to The Wire Crew start at Rs 89/month. youtube.com/channel/UChWtJey46brNr7qHQpN6KLQ/join Join The Wire's Youtube Membership and get exclusive content, member-only emojis, live interaction with The Wire's founders, editors and reporters and much more. Memberships to The Wire Crew start at Rs 89/month. youtube.com/channel/UChWt... Like our work? Click here to support The Wire: thewire.in/support The founding premise of The Wire is this: if good journalism is to survive and thrive, it can only do so by being both editorially and financially independent. This means relying principally on contributions from readers and concerned citizens who have no interest other than to sustain a space for quality journalism. As a publication, The Wire will be firmly committed to the public interest and democratic values. We publish in four different languages! For English, visit thewire.in for Hindi: thewirehindi.com for Urdu: thewireurdu.com for Marathi: marathi.thewire.in If you are a young writer or a creator, you can submit articles, essays, photos, poetry – anything that’s straight out of your imagination – to LiveWire, The Wire’s portal for the young, by the young. livewire.thewire.in You can also follow The Wire’s social media platforms and engage with us. Facebook facebook.com/TheWire facebook.com/TheWireHindi facebook.com/TheWireUrdu facebook.com/TheWireMarathi Twitter twitter.com/thewire_in twitter.com/thewirehindi twitter.com/TheWireUrdu twitter.com/TheWireMarathi twitter.com/livewire Instagram instagram.com/thewirein instagram.com/livewirein Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button to never miss a video from The Wire!