Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set an ambitious target for the BJP-led NDA: implementing the Uniform Civil Code in all NDA-ruled states by 2029.

The announcement puts the long-debated reform firmly back on the political agenda. A UCC would replace religion-specific personal laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption with a common set of rules for all citizens.

What the 2029 Target Means

Setting a deadline gives the proposal fresh momentum ahead of upcoming state and national elections. NDA-ruled states would be expected to draft and pass their own UCC legislation within the next few years.

Uttarakhand has already taken the lead, becoming the first state to implement a UCC, and other BJP-ruled states have signalled interest in following suit.

The Bihar Question

The big political question is what the Janata Dal (United), the BJP’s key ally in Bihar, will do. The party has historically been cautious on the UCC, mindful of its support base among minority communities.

Whether the JD(U) goes along with the 2029 timeline or seeks exemptions could become a flashpoint in the alliance’s Bihar strategy.

Why It Matters Politically

The UCC has been a core BJP promise for decades, and pushing it across NDA states would mark a major ideological milestone for the party. Critics argue it risks stoking social divisions, while supporters call it a step toward equality before the law.

How the JD(U) and other allies respond will shape not just the reform’s fate but the coalition’s cohesion in the years ahead.

The push is also expected to feature prominently in the BJP’s campaign messaging, where the party has long framed the UCC as a matter of gender justice and national integration. Opposition parties, meanwhile, have called the move divisive and questioned its timing. The debate is likely to intensify as more NDA states begin drafting their own versions of the code.