Bhopal, July 20 (IANS) A delegation led by Bhopal City Qazi Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadvi, along with the City Mufti and Congress MLAs Arif Masood and Atif Akeel, met Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday and submitted a memorandum opposing the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

The memorandum urged reconsideration of the proposed legislation and sought wider consultations before the Bill is taken up for discussion and passage. It also requested that the views of all stakeholders be taken into account on an issue with wide social and legal implications.

The meeting came hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government introduced the Madhya Pradesh Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026, in the Legislative Assembly on the opening day of the five-day Monsoon Session.

The House is scheduled to take up discussion on the Bill on Tuesday. The state Cabinet had approved the draft legislation on July 19.

The proposed law seeks to prohibit practices such as polygamy and nikah halala, lays down a legal framework for live-in relationships, and exempts the state’s tribal population from its ambit.

Congress MLA Arif Masood, who was part of the delegation, alleged that the government had introduced the legislation without adequate consultation.

He said the Bill was brought in secretly, first tabled and later included in the supplementary agenda.

“Such important legislation should not be rushed through. We will move amendments and expect the government to hear all sections of society,” Masood told reporters.

Earlier in the day, the Congress also objected to the manner in which the Bill was introduced in the Assembly. Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar said legislation with far-reaching social implications should be preceded by broader public consultation.

He added that the matter concerns society as a whole and the government should hold detailed consultations with all stakeholders before taking a final decision.

The introduction of the UCC Bill triggered protests by Congress members in the Assembly, who objected to its inclusion in the day’s business and demanded discussion on other issues, including allegations related to land purchases linked to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar later announced that the House would take up a detailed discussion on the UCC Bill on Tuesday.

--IANS

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