Uniform Civil Code
Article 44 (Directive Principle of State Policy)
Article 44 of the Constitution, located in Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy), directs the State to "endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India." Directive Principles are not justiciable (courts cannot compel their implementation) but are constitutionally binding as guiding principles for governance and legislation.
- Article 44: One of 12 articles in Part IV (Articles 36–51) specifying Directive Principles.
- DPSPs are non-justiciable (Article 37 states they "shall not be enforceable by any court"), but the Supreme Court has held they must be considered when interpreting laws.
- Article 44 has been referenced in numerous Supreme Court judgments — most notably in Shah Bano (1985) and Sarla Mudgal (1995) — as a goal the state should actively pursue.
- The 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) added the word "secular" to the Preamble but did not make UCC implementation mandatory.
- Tension with Article 25–26: Rights to freely profess, practise, and propagate religion (Article 25) and manage religious affairs (Article 26) are fundamental rights that create constitutional complexity around a UCC.
● Tracked since March 10, 2026 · last seen July 20, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
02 Jul '26
West Bengal Cabinet approves panel to examine draft Uniform Civil Code Bill
Polity & Governance
16 Apr '26
Will Chhattisgarh be next to adopt UCC? Panel ready to meet public and experts
Polity & Governance
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