(Indian) Supreme Court calls for common civil code | Times of India

[Ediacara]

Supreme Court calls for common civil code
RAKESH BHATNAGAR

TIMES NEWS NETWORK< WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2003 09:44:44 PM >

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has expressed distress over the government's failure in enacting a common civil code to end discrimination between various religious communities in the areas of marriage, succession and property and felt that such a code would help in removing contradictions based on religious ideologies.

The court also declared as unconstitutional section 118 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925, which applies to Christians alone and not any other community and imposes restrictions on the community from bequeathing their property for religious and charitable purposes by will.

This is not the first time that the apex court has drawn the law makers' attention towards the unfulfilled constitutional obligation to give effect to Article 44 of the Constitution. This provision says: ``The state shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.''

More at the Times of India

[varun]

1. Good move

Christians, Muslims and Hindus follow different civil codes at the moment. For example, a Muslim can have four wives whereas a Hindu or a Christian cannot.

It is time for the whole country to have one set of civil codes.