Latest news with #AbdulVahabSopariwala
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Gujarat HC dismisses plea on reconstitution of UCC panel
The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by Surat resident Abdul Vahab Sopariwala that contested the composition of a five-member committee, appointed by the state government, to assess the need for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state that did not include any member from minority communities. While Justice Niral Mehta pronounced the petition as 'dismissed', a detailed court order is awaited. The said committee was appointed by the Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel-led state government on February 4 this year. Sopariwala had made representations to the Chief Minister before moving the high court in April, seeking reconstitution of the committee on the ground that it does not include members from religious minorities — who were important stakeholders in the implementation of the UCC. As per Sopariwala, it was necessary to ensure a diverse opinion on the subject as the lack of such adequate representation would amount to violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India. The UCC committee in Gujarat is chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai and comprises retired IAS officer CL Meena, advocate R C Kodekar, former Veer Narmad South Gujarat University vice-chancellor Dakshesh Thakar and social activist Geetaben Shroff.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Gujarat HC dismissed petition seeking reconstitution of UCC committee
The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by Surat resident Abdul Vahab Sopariwala that contested the composition of a five-member committee, appointed by the state government, to assess the need for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state that did not include any member from minority communities. While Justice Niral Mehta pronounced the petition as 'dismissed', a detailed court order is awaited. The said committee was appointed by the Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel-led state government on February 4 this year. Sopariwala had made representations to the Chief Minister before moving the high court in April, seeking reconstitution of the committee on the ground that it does not include members from religious minorities — who were important stakeholders in the implementation of the UCC. As per Sopariwala, it was necessary to ensure a diverse opinion on the subject as the lack of such adequate representation would amount to violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India. The UCC committee in Gujarat is chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai and comprises retired IAS officer CL Meena, advocate R C Kodekar, former Veer Narmad South Gujarat University vice-chancellor Dakshesh Thakar and social activist Geetaben Shroff.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Gujarat HC dismisses plea challenging state UCC panel over no minority representation
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the composition of a state-appointed five-member committee, formed to assess the need for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state, on the ground that it did not include any member from minority communities. A bench of Justice Niral S Mehta dismissed the plea moved by Surat-resident Abdul Vahab Sopariwala. "Dismissed," the court said while pronouncing the judgement. A detailed order is awaited. On February 4 this year, state Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced the formation of the committee to assess the necessity of the UCC and also to draft a bill for it. Challenging its composition of the panel, the petitioner argued that it does not have members from religious minorities, adding that inclusion of such stakeholders was crucial to ensure that diversity of opinions and practices is considered. The committee set up to examine the need for the UCC in Gujarat does not have a single scholar from minority communities, the petition said.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Petition in Gujarat high court seeks diverse representation in Uniform Civil Code panel
Ahmedabad: A petition in the Gujarat high court has challenged the formation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) committee, seeking directions for the state govt to include members from different religious communities and make its process consultative. The petition was filed by Abdul Vahab Sopariwala from Surat, stating that the five-member panel formed to examine the need for UCC and draft the law does not include any Christian, Muslim, Parsi, Sikh, or Jain scholars. It contends that forming such a committee without adequate representation of different communities and stakeholders violates fundamental rights under the Constitution. "A uniform code that disregards the pluralistic nature of Indian society infringes upon the right to cultural and religious autonomy," the petition reads. The petitioner contends that the present committee does not represent the majority perspective and fails to include a broad cross-section of stakeholders, particularly from religious minorities. Their inclusion is crucial for such an exercise, as the inclusion of subject experts is required in any committee. The petition further mentions that Gujarat's UCC panel is headed by retired Justice Ranjana Desai, but the other four members do not have anything to do with this subject. The petitioner states that retired IAS officer C L Meena is a member, but he is not a jurist and does not have any work experience with the law commission. Another member is an advocate, R C Kodekar, whose work profile shows that he practises criminal laws and not civil laws. Another member, Dakshesh Thakkar, is a former vice-chancellor of a university and is closely aligned with the ruling party. Similarly, the fifth member, Gita Shroff, appears to be close to the ruling party. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The petitioner has prayed for directions to the govt to reform the UCC committee with fresh members who have knowledge of the subjective law. He has also urged for direction to engage in a consultative process involving all religious and cultural communities before any move to impose a UCC. The HC has posted a hearing on this petition for May 5.
