"Uniform Civil Code should be discussed on merits," says Aaditya Thackeray; Eknath Shinde backs "one law for entire country"
Jun 23, 2026
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 23 : Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) should be discussed based on its merits, while also raising broader questions on uniformity across governance systems.
Thackeray said that uniformity should not be limited to personal laws but also extended to governance and administrative practices.
"The Uniform Civil Code should first discuss it based on its merits. Secondly and most importantly, there must be uniformity across all laws; for instance, if agencies like the ED or CBI are going behind someone, we should examine how many individuals from the ruling party are targeted versus those from the opposition--there needs to be uniformity there as well," he told reporters.
"Right now, if you take a corrupt individual and appoint them as CM or Deputy CM, there should be uniformity too. Thirdly, there should be uniformity when it comes to development funds as well," Thackeray added.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde reiterated his party's support for the Uniform Civil Code, stating that the demand for a common law has long been part of Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology.
"Balasaheb Thackeray's stance from the very beginning has been that there should be one law for the entire country...Our stance regarding the Uniform Civil Code is positive," he said.
The debate comes amid discussions in the Maharashtra Assembly, where the issue of UCC was taken up along with concerns related to women's safety and implementation of the Triple Talaq law following a notice moved by BJP MLA Devyani Pharande under Rule 105.
Maharashtra Minister Yogesh Kadam has said that a one-member committee headed by a retired High Court judge will be constituted to study the implementation of UCC in the state, after which further action will be taken based on its report.
Notably, Uttarakhand became the first state to pass a Uniform Civil Code Bill in February 2024, followed by Gujarat in March 2026, while Assam also passed its UCC Bill in May, aiming to create a common civil framework governing marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships irrespective of religion.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that the UCC bill will be introduced in the Assembly's monsoon session next month.
