The Gujarat Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill 2026 has officially received presidential assent, marking a significant legislative development for the state. The bill, which was passed by the Gujarat state assembly in March 2026, aims to establish a common set of laws governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption, regardless of an individual's religious affiliation.

With this approval, Gujarat joins Uttarakhand as the second state in India to adopt a Uniform Civil Code. Proponents of the legislation argue that a unified code promotes national integration and ensures gender equality by removing religious-based disparities in personal law. Conversely, critics have expressed concerns regarding the potential impact on the cultural and religious autonomy of minority communities, suggesting that such laws could infringe upon constitutional protections for religious freedom.

The implementation process is expected to begin following the formal notification of the rules by the state government. While the BJP-led state government maintains that the code is a progressive step toward modernization, opposition parties and various civil society groups have called for broader consultations, citing concerns about the speed and scope of the legislative process. As the state prepares to transition to this new legal framework, legal experts are closely monitoring how the code will interact with existing central laws and the potential for future judicial challenges.