Implementation of CAA, Uniform Civil Code, One Nation One Election: BJP unveils manifesto for 2024 General Election

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has laid out a comprehensive legal agenda in its manifesto for the 2024 General Election. Notable pledges include the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), One Nation One Election, and Uniform Civil Code (UCC)..Here is a closer look at the key pledges put forth by the BJP regarding legal reforms:.The party has promised implementation of CAA to confer citizenship to all eligible persons. Notably, the Supreme Court of India is hearing a batch of around 236 petitions challenging CAA and the recently notified Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024.The CAA, which had triggered large scale riots in Delhi in February 2020, had received the assent of the President of India on December 12, 2019, and was later notified in the gazette. The notification of the Rules effectively brought into force the Act.The CAA and Rules aim to grant citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan..Further, the manifesto refers to Article 44 of the Indian Constitution which lists Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as one of the Directive Principles of State Policy. The party has reiterated its stand to draw a UCC."BJP believes that there cannot be gender equality till such time Bharat adopts a Uniform Civil Code, which protects the rights of all women, and the BJP reiterates its stand to draw a Uniform Civil Code, drawing upon the best traditions and harmonising them with the modern times," the manifesto states.Very recently, Uttarakhand became the first State to implement a UCC. The Code was passed by the State Assembly on February 7 before receiving the President's assent on February 13. With a view to bringing the various facets of civil life under a single law, the UCC lays out what is permissible and what is prohibited in relationships across faiths, subject to personal customary laws.The said law seeks to penalise persons who do not register their live-in relationships with a prison term. The proposed legislation also deals with other aspects such as marriage, divorce and inheritance in Uttarakhand..Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code Bill mandates registration of live-in relationships; failure can land couples in jail.Furthermore, the manifesto mentions that a High Powered Committee to examine the issues of conducting simultaneous elections has been set up and that the party will work towards the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee.The committee, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, had given its green signal for One Nation One Election in March. .The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which aims to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), also finds a mention in the BJP manifesto. The party has expressed its commitment to its effective implementation through training, online certificate courses, new curriculum in universities and law schools, and additional measures. On August 11, 2023, the Central government had introduced three new bills to overhaul the criminal justice system in India. The Bills were introduced as Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill before being referred to a parliamentary committee headed by Brij Lal for further examination. The committee submitted its report on November 10.On December 11, instead of being amended as per the committee's suggestions, the bills were withdrawn.The following day, December 12, Home Minister Amit Shah reintroduced the latest iteration of the bills, insisting that they were withdrawn and reintroduced to save effort that would have gone towards passing separate amendments.They were passed by the Lok Sabha on December 20 before being passed by the Rajya Sabha on December 21.The Bills received the assent of the President of India in December 2023.Thereafter, through a gazette notification on February 24, the Union Home Ministry announced that the new laws will come into force from July 1 this year..Other pledges in the manifesto include:Implementation Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act. The law, passed by the Parliament on February 9, aims to tackle misconduct in recruitment exams across the country.Reduction in compliance for small traders and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to enhance ease of living and doing business. To this end, the party has pledged to work with State governments and encourage them to simplify State legislations.Implementation of next generation ‘Land Record Digitization’ and the integration of various institutions like Revenue Courts and Registration Offices.Building a homegrown Shipping Industry. For this, the party has pledged a revamp of the legal framework to enable faster growth of the country's shipping industry.Development of legal standards for Cultural Intellectual Property (IP) protection. The party will collaborate with domestic and international organizations like World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) & The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to develop harmonised legal standards for cultural IP protection, it has said.Formulating a National Litigation Policy to expedite the resolution of all matters in courts, lower the cost of contested court proceedings, and decrease the number of cases in which the government is a party and the consequent load on the courts.Overhaul of the commercial and civil justice systems, on the lines of criminal justice reforms to streamline procedures, enhance the efficiency of legal processes and ensure timely justice, fostering a more business-friendly and citizen-centric legal environment.Acceleration of the e-Courts Mission Mode Project to complete the digitisation of entire court records and for easy access to court proceedings online.Establishment of fast track courts for quick disposal of pendency in identified areas to expedite the resolution of old cases.Further improvement of the legal framework to promote arbitration and mediation ecosystem.