UCC & One Nation, One Election implementation in next term: Shah

New Delhi, May 26: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said a Uniform Civil Code for the entire country will be implemented within the next five years after extensive consultations with all stakeholders if the BJP returns to power.
In an interview with PTI, Shah said the Modi government in its next term will also implement ‘One Nation, One Election’ as the time has come for the elections to be held simultaneously in the country.
He further said the simultaneous elections will also bring down costs.
Asked about the possibility of moving elections to winter or some other time of the year as against the current one being held in scorching heat, Shah said, “We can think over it. If we prepone one election, it can be done. It should be done. This is also the time of students’ vacation. It creates lots of problems too. Over time, the election (Lok Sabha) gradually moved to this period (during summer).”
Talking about the UCC, Shah said, “The UCC is a responsibility left to us, our Parliament and the state legislatures of our country since independence by the makers of our Constitution. The guiding principles decided for us by the Constituent Assembly include the UCC. And even at that time, legal scholars like K M Munshi, Rajendra Babu, Ambedkar Ji had said that there should not be laws based on religion in a secular country. There should be a Uniform Civil Code.”
“I believe that the UCC is a huge social, legal, and religious reform. The law made by the Uttarakhand government should undergo social and legal scrutiny. Religious leaders should also be consulted,” he added.
Asked if it can be done within the next five years, Shah said it will be done in this period only. “Five years are a sufficient period,” he said.
Asked about simultaneous polls, Shah said, “We will also make every effort to achieve ‘One Nation, One Election’. This should also be discussed.” “The Prime Minister had formed the Ram Nath Kovind committee. I was also a member of it. Its report has been submitted. The time has come that elections should be held simultaneously in the country,” he added.
Asked whether a bill on this can be introduced in the next session if the BJP returns to power, Shah said, “Our resolution is for five years. We will bring it during this period.” (PTI)