Former judge RC Chavan has resigned from the Maharashtra UCC panel

Former Justice RC Chavan. File | Photo credit: www.nlunagpur.ac.in

Former judge RC Chavan has resigned from the Maharashtra government’s committee set up to prepare a proposal to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), citing disagreements over its functioning and the involvement of an official from abroad.

In July, the Maharashtra government set up a seven-member committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai, to draft a framework for implementing the Common Civil Code in the state.

Justice Chavan, a former high court judge, resigned from the bench on September 19.

Mr. Chavan raised several concerns in his resignation letter and alleged that meetings were conducted without substantive discussion.

Agenda items such as confirmation of minutes, editing of websites and finalization of questionnaires were speedily dealt with on the instructions of the chairman, he claimed.

The members’ suggestions, including the draft questionnaire framework to seek detailed views of the public on issues such as late marriages, infertility, unstable marriages and dispute resolution, were not considered as the questionnaire finalized by the chairman had already been circulated for recording, he further said.

He also drew attention to the involvement of an out-of-state official on the jury. “Officers from Maharashtra may feel that they are not competent to perform this duty for which an officer from another state had to be called,” he said.

“It could also be that he didn’t know where to fit in,” said officer (in committee functioning), Justice Chavan.

“To resolve this issue, I am vacating my seat on the committee by resigning now so that the government can fill the vacant seat expeditiously,” the former judge said.

He added that the assignment of the commission was a learning experience and wished the jury good luck.

Published – 22 Sep 2026 12:13 IST