Goa Civil Code
The Goa Civil Code, also known as the Goa Family Law, is a set of civil laws governing the residents of Goa, India. It is an Indianized variant of the Portuguese legal system, drawing largely from the Napoleonic Code. Indian law mostly derives from English common law, formulated and applied in British India. Goa and Damaon are exceptions, with a single code governing all native Goans and native Damanese, regardless of affiliation to religion, ethnicity, and social strata.
The Uniform Civil Code in Goa allows equal division of income and property between husband and wife and children, regardless of gender. However, the code has some drawbacks, such as Hindu men having the right to bigamy under specific circumstances, and prohibiting polygamy in other communities.
What is Uniform Civil Code? | UCC in India – Article 44
Uniform Civil Code: The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is a proposal in India to create and implement personal laws that apply equally to all citizens, regardless of religion, gender, or sexual orientation. The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) aims to replace existing laws that apply to different communities, which are currently inconsistent with each other. These laws, such as the Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Succession Act, Indian Christian Marriages Act, Indian Divorce Act, and Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, would be replaced by a single set of laws applicable to all citizens, ensuring uniformity.
Uniform Civil Code emerged as a crucial topic of interest in Indian politics following the Shah Bano case in 1985. The bill was proposed twice but was withdrawn without introduction in parliament. Opposition parties and BJP allies from the NDA have opposed the UCC, claiming it will end special privileges of tribal communities.
In this article, you will read about the Uniform Civil Code in India, its history, arguments in favor of UCC, arguments against UCC, and challenges while implementing it.
Table of Content
- What is the Uniform Civil Code?
- History of Uniform Civil Code Debate in India
- Constitution of India on Uniform Civil Code
- Goa Civil Code
- Arguments in the favour of the Uniform Civil Code
- Arguments against the Uniform Civil Code
- Challenges in Implementing Uniform Civil Code
- Recent Developments related to Uniform Civil Code
- Suggestions for Implementing a Uniform Civil Code