Retired high court judge RC Chavan resigns from Maharashtra UCC rules committee

Chavan cited differences over the process of seeking public feedback and alleged the presence of a non-member at committee meetings.

Retired high court judge RC Chavan has resigned from the state-appointed committee to draft rules for implementation of a uniform civil code (UCC) in Maharashtra, owing to differences regarding the process of seeking public feedback and the alleged presence of a non-member at meetings of the committee.

Justice Chavan was part of the seven-member committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Chavan said, “I have been working on the UCC since the last 10 years. I spoke about this three years ago in Pune. UCC must happen, but there should be no fights between communities. Society must not be broken in narrow fragments.”

The committee to draft rules and recommendations for implementing UCC in Maharashtra was constituted in July. Justice Chavan was part of the seven-member committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai.

Chavan also alleged that a non-member of the panel, Shatrughna Singh, was present at meetings of the committee. He said he was vacating his seat on the committee, so that the government can fill in the blank promptly. “A resolution notified quickly will help me tell those who meet me with the expectation that I will place their views before the committee that they must do it themselves,” he said in his resignation letter.