Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on September 13, 2026, that the BJP-led NDA government would implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in all 21 states under its rule before 2029. Shah made the claim during a press conference in Mumbai, stating that the UCC had already been introduced in several states and that the government was confident in its nationwide rollout. The UCC, which proposes a common set of personal laws for all citizens regardless of religion, aims to ensure equality before the law and promote national integration by replacing religion-based personal laws with a uniform legal framework.

Shah also highlighted the government’s achievements in strengthening the criminal justice system through the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which he said had led to a 30% increase in conviction rates in several states within a single year. He further claimed that the government had ended five decades of Naxalism and signed over 14 peace agreements in the North-East region. The abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, he said, had been achieved without any violence, and that surgical strikes, air strikes, and Operation Sindoor had established a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism.

The UCC has already been implemented in Uttarakhand, which became the first state to pass the law in February 2024 and fully enforce it since January 2025. Gujarat, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh are awaiting presidential assent and notification, while Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh have formed drafting committees for the legislation. Shah emphasized that the UCC would be implemented in all 21 NDA-ruled states before the next Lok Sabha elections in 2029.

When asked about the use of the 1951 baseline for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur, Shah stated that the Centre was holding discussions with its allies and political parties on the issue. He said the government would inform the public of any decision made. On the issue of illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators, Shah refused to disclose the tools used for detection, quipping that revealing them would allow infiltrators to evade capture. He reiterated the government’s resolve to identify and deport all illegal infiltrators.

The implementation of the UCC remains a contentious issue, with concerns about its impact on religious freedoms and the potential for legal challenges. The timeline for full implementation across all 21 states is not specified, and the legal and administrative hurdles involved in enforcing the UCC across diverse states remain unclear. The UCC’s success will depend on the cooperation of state governments and the ability to address the varied legal and cultural contexts of each state.