Amit Shah pledges Uniform Civil Code across 21 NDA states by 2029

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance plans to roll out the Uniform Civil Code across all 21 states it governs before the next general election in 2029.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the timeline during a press conference in Mumbai on Sunday, framing it as a major policy goal for the coalition. "I am confident that we will implement the UCC in all 21 states governed by the BJP-led NDA before 2029," Shah said.

The code aims to replace diverse faith-based personal laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption with a single set of rules for all citizens, regardless of their religion.

What is the status of the civil code?

The push is already well underway. Uttarakhand became the first state to pass the law, fully enforcing it in January 2025. Since then, Assam, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have passed their own versions of the bill and are currently awaiting presidential assent.

Other states, including Maharashtra, West Bengal and Chhattishgarh, have already set up drafting committees to draw up their own legislation.

Security and legal changes

Shah used the Mumbai briefing to present a wide-ranging report card of the government's security and administrative record. He pointed to the implementation of the country's new criminal code, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, claiming it had already helped increase conviction rates in several states by 30 per cent in just one year. The ultimate goal, he said, is to establish a system where legal cases are fully resolved within three years.

On national security, Shah claimed the government has ended five decades of Naxalism and brought peace to the Northeast by signing 14 separate agreements, which he said led to the surrender of more than 9,000 militants. He also pointed to the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, which he said was achieved without any bloodshed.

When asked if the government would use 1951 as the baseline year for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) in conflict-torn Manipur, Shah remained non-committal. He said the Centre is actively discussing the issue with local allies and political parties.

He was similarly guarded when pressed on how the government plans to identify and deport illegal immigrants in cities like Mumbai. "You are asking the Home Minister to make the tools public," Shah said. "Then how will we catch them?" He did, however, repeat his pledge to identify and deport "each and every illegal infiltrator".

Celebrating the Prime Minister

The Home Minister also announced a month-long national campaign, the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, to run from 17 September to 17 October.

The initiative marks Narendra Modi's 25 years of public service as a government head, dating back to his start as Gujarat Chief Minister. The campaign will feature a public bike rally travelling from Kashi to the Prime Minister's birthplace of Vadnagar in Gujarat.