Madhya Pradesh Assembly Passes Uniform Civil Code Bill Amid Opposition Protests

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Madhya Pradesh Uniform Civil Code 2026 Bill by a voice vote on the second day of the Monsoon Session. The legislation was passed amid fierce resistance and protests from Congress lawmakers, who demanded that the draft bill be referred to a parliamentary select committee.

The session faced multiple brief adjournments as opposition members raised slogans and protested over various issues, including paper leak allegations and reported irregularities in Ram Temple donations.

Key Provisions of the MP UCC Bill 2026

The newly passed legislation introduces sweeping legal reforms across personal laws in the state while carving out specific exemptions:

• Criminalization of Practices: Outlaws practices such as polygamy and nikah halala.
• Mandatory Live-In Registration: Makes the registration of live-in relationships legally compulsory within the state.
• Tribal Exemption: Explicitly exempts Madhya Pradesh’s large tribal population from the purview of the law to preserve their customary rights and traditions.

Chief Minister’s Defense: “One Law for All”

During the debate, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of opposing equal rights due to vote-bank politics.

“If Congress members have even a little respect for Babasaheb [Ambedkar], they should absolve themselves of their sins by supporting the UCC. It was the Congress that created a uniform system for all based on the division of agricultural land in the Assembly in 1959. Now, the Congress is opposing this very system that ensures equality.

Due to the Congress’s appeasement policy, mothers and sisters have suffered injustice… We are implementing the UCC to ensure that Amar, Akbar, Anthony, Robin, and Rahim follow the same law.” — Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh

Prior to his address, the Chief Minister raised political slogans in the House, including “Jo Hindu hit ki baat karega, vahi pradesh me raaj karega” and “Jai Shri Ram”.

Opposition Stand: ‘Breach of Fundamental Rights’

Congress legislators strongly resisted the unilateral passage of the bill, arguing that the legislation infringes upon constitutional guarantees regarding cultural and educational rights. They urged Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar to send the draft to a select committee for deeper scrutiny.