International Workshop in Trento: UNIFORM CIVIL CODE IN INDIA
THE DEBATE ON THE UNIFORM CIVIL CODE IN INDIA: NEW PERSPECTIVES ON CONSTITUTIONAL SECULARISM IN INDIA AND PERSONAL LAWS REGIMES IN ASIA International Workshop 27 - 28 April 2017 The preamble to India’s 1950 Constitution declares it to be a secular state. Yet, religions play a highly visible role in the Indian public sphere. Furthermore, in spite of the constitutional mandate (“The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India”, art. 44), a regime of personal laws - based on religious or customary ground - is actually applied, mostly in matters of family law and group status. The political process is presently re-considering the adoption of a uniform civil code, and the question whether such a solution - long waited for - is more consistent with the principle of constitutional secularism and more respectful to religious pluralism needs to be critically addressed, in a context - like the Indian one - where the balance between cons...