Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Code red: On the 22nd Law Commission and a uniform civil code

Code red: On the 22nd Law Commission and a uniform civil code

The push for a uniform civil code (समान नागरिक संहिता) should not become a divisive (विभाजनात्मक) tool (औजार, उपकरण)

The Law Commission’s decision to solicit (मांगना) views from the public on the idea of a uniform civil code appears to be a political initiative (पहल, कदम) aimed at bringing the potentially (संभवतः, यकीनन) divisive issue under focus in the run-up to next year’s general election. The Commission, the 22nd such panel, has claimed (दावा करना) that years have elapsed (pass, go by, go past) since similar views were sought by the previous panel, and that a fresh effort was needed to garner (संचित करना, प्राप्त करना) varied (विविध, विभिन्न) opinions. The 21st Commission had released a consultation paper in 2018 that categorically (स्पष्ट रूप से, बिल्कुल) said a uniform civil code was “neither necessary nor desirable” at that stage. In a well-reasoned (practical, logical, rational, coherent) document, it had then argued that the focus of initiatives to reform the various personal laws should be the elimination of all forms of discrimination (भेदभाव, पूर्वाग्रह) rather than (इसके बजाय, के बदले) an attempt to bring about (cause, lead to, result in, bring on, call forth, produce) uniformity in the laws governing various religions. The document was progressive (प्रगतिशील) in nature (having such qualities), inasmuch as (to the extent that; in so far as) it emphasised (जोर देना, महत्व देना) non-discrimination (equal opportunity, equal rights, fair treatment) over uniformity, and recognised (acknowledge, realize, admit, understand) that there could be diverse means (ways, methods, manners, procedures) of governing aspects of personal law such as marriage, divorce, inheritance (succession, taking over; legacy, bequest, endowment, birthright, benefaction) and adoption instead of imposing (apply, enforce, bring into effect) a single set of rules on society. This would entail (require, necessitate, demand, call for, be grounds/reason for, warrant, involve) the removal of discriminatory (prejudicial, biased, partisan, one-sided, unfair, unjust) provisions (clause, condition, stipulation, requirement), especially those that affect women, and adoption (acceptance, approval, endorsement, support, backing) of some overarching (comprehensive, all-inclusive, complete, all-embracing) norms rooted in equality. Nothing significant has happened since to warrant (call for, justify, validate, necessitate) a fresh look, except perhaps (maybe, possibly) a political need for the current dispensation (government, regime) to bring the issue to the electoral arena (domain, sphere, realm, field (of activity)).

A uniform civil code for the entire country is indeed (in fact, actually, undeniably) a lofty (tall, high, imposing) goal, but the question whether introducing one for all aspects of personal law would impinge on (affect, influence, have an effect on; infringe, intrude on, encroach on, impinge on, violate) the freedom of religion has been part of the debate. B.R. Ambedkar viewed it as desirable, but favoured (recommend, support, endorse, advocate, champion) its being voluntary. It is possible that a uniform code may be adopted (embrace, accept, endorsee, approve, take in) without offending (upset, hurt, distress, annoy, displease) any religion, but the concept evokes (bring/call to mind; invoke, give rise to, bring forth, induce, arouse) fear among sections of the minorities that their religious beliefs, seen as the source of their personal laws, may be undermined (weaken, impair, damage). In fraught times such as the present, a common code will inevitably (unavoidably, certainly, definitely) be seen as an imposition (application, enforcement, implementation) by the majority. Basic reforms can be given priority — such as having 18 as the marriageable age for all across communities and genders. Introducing a ‘no-fault’ divorce procedure and allowing dissolution (the formal, legal ending of a marriage by a court, commonly called a divorce) of marriage on the ground (reason, cause, basis, rationale) of irretrievable (irreversible, irreparable, irrecoverable) breakdown (failure, collapse), and having common norms for post-divorce division of assets were other matters the previous Commission threw up for a debate. Within each community’s laws, it will be desirable to first incorporate universal principles of equality and non-discrimination and eliminate practices based on taboos (prohibition, restriction, ban) and stereotypes (standard image, cliché, hackneyed idea).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Law Commission of India (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भारत का विधि आयोग
English Meaning - The first Law Commission after independence was set up in the year 1955. Subsequent Commissions were constituted from time to time. Usually each Commission is constituted for a term of three years. The 22nd Law Commission was notified on February 24, 2020. The Law Commission shall undertake research in law and review of existing laws in India for making reforms therein and enacting new legislations. It shall also undertake studies and research for bringing reforms in the justice delivery systems for elimination of delay in procedures, speedy disposal of cases, reduction in cost of litigation etc.

2.Uniform Civil Code (UCC) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - समान नागरिक संहिता
English Meaning - Uniform Civil Code or UCC is to provide one law for all the religious communities governing the issues of marriage, adoption, inheritance, divorce etc. Article 44 of the Indian constitution says, “The state shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for the citizens throughout the territory of India.” Article 44 is one of the Directive Principles of State Policy, described in Part IV of the Constitution.

3.divisive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विभाजनात्मक
English Meaning - alienating/isolating, disharmonious, discordant.

4.tool (noun)

Hindi Meaning - औजार, उपकरण
English Meaning - mechanism, apparatus, instrument.

5.solicit (verb)

Hindi Meaning - मांगना
English Meaning - ask for, request, seek.

6.initiative (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पहल, कदम
English Meaning - move, measure, step, plan, approach, scheme.

7.potentially (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - संभवतः, यकीनन
English Meaning - arguably, likely, possibly, probably, maybe, perhaps.

8.claim (verb)

Hindi Meaning - दावा करना
English Meaning - state, declare, assert, affirm.

9.garner (verb)

Hindi Meaning - संचित करना, प्राप्त करना
English Meaning - receive, get, gain, obtain, acquire.

10.varied (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विविध, विभिन्न
English Meaning - diverse, differing, mixed, wide-ranging.

11.categorically (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - स्पष्ट रूप से, बिल्कुल
English Meaning - absolutely, directly, clearly, explicitly, definitely, conclusively, unconditionally, unequivocally, unambiguously, unqualifiedly, outright.

12.discrimination (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भेदभाव, पूर्वाग्रह
English Meaning - prejudice, bias/bigotry, intolerance/inequity.

13.rather than (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - इसके बजाय, के बदले
English Meaning - instead of.

14.progressive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रगतिशील
English Meaning - forward-looking, forward-thinking; reforming, revolutionary.

15.emphasise (verb)

Hindi Meaning - जोर देना, महत्व देना
English Meaning - underscore, underline, highlight, stress, call/draw attention to.

16.code red (noun)

English Meaning - alarm bell, wake-up call, caution, warning.

17.push (noun)

English Meaning - drive, thrust, campaign; effort, nudge.

18.run-up to (noun)

English Meaning - a period of time just before an important event.

19.panel (noun)

English Meaning - committee, council, advisory group.

20.elapse (verb)

English Meaning - pass, go by, go past.

21.sought past and past participle of seek (verb)

English Meaning - ask for, request, solicit, appeal for.

22.well-reasoned (adjective)

English Meaning - practical, logical, rational, coherent.

23.bring about (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - cause, lead to, result in, bring on, call forth, produce.

24.in nature (phrase)

English Meaning - having such qualities.

25.inasmuch as (phrase)

English Meaning - to the extent that; in so far as.

26.non-discrimination (noun)

English Meaning - equal opportunity, equal rights, fair treatment.

27.recognise (verb)

English Meaning - acknowledge, realize, admit, understand.

28.means (noun)

English Meaning - ways, methods, manners, procedures.

29.inheritance (noun)

English Meaning - succession, taking over; legacy, bequest, endowment, birthright, benefaction.

30.adoption (noun)

English Meaning - acceptance, approval, endorsement, support, backing.

31.impose (verb)

English Meaning - apply, enforce, bring into effect.

32.entail (verb)

English Meaning - require, necessitate, demand, call for, be grounds/reason for, warrant, involve.

33.discriminatory (adjective)

English Meaning - prejudicial, biased, partisan, one-sided, unfair, unjust.

34.provision (noun)

English Meaning - clause, condition, stipulation, requirement.

35.overarching (adjective)

English Meaning - comprehensive, all-inclusive, complete, all-embracing.

36.norm (noun)

English Meaning - standard, convention, regulation.

37.(be) root in (verb)

English Meaning - establish firmly.

38.warrant (verb)

English Meaning - call for, justify, validate, necessitate.

39.perhaps (adverb)

English Meaning - maybe, possibly.

40.dispensation (noun)

English Meaning - government, regime.

41.arena (noun)

English Meaning - domain, sphere, realm, field (of activity).

42.indeed (adverb)

English Meaning - in fact, actually, undeniably.

43.lofty (adjective)

English Meaning - tall, high, imposing,

44.impinge on (verb)

English Meaning - affect, influence, have an effect on; infringe, intrude on, encroach on, impinge on, violate.

45.favour (verb)

English Meaning - recommend, support, endorse, advocate, champion.

46.adopt (verb)

English Meaning - embrace, accept, endorsee, approve, take in.

47.offend (verb)

English Meaning - upset, hurt, distress, annoy, displease.

48.evoke (verb)

English Meaning - bring/call to mind; invoke, give rise to, bring forth, induce, arouse.

49.undermine (verb)

English Meaning - weaken, impair, damage.

50.fraught (adjective)

English Meaning - anxious/worried, distressed, agitated/panicky.

51.inevitably (adverb)

English Meaning - unavoidably, certainly, definitely.

52.imposition (noun)

English Meaning - application, enforcement, implementation.

53.no-fault divorce (noun)

English Meaning - a type of divorce in which the spouse filing for divorce doesn’t need to prove fault.

54.dissolution (noun)

English Meaning - the formal, legal ending of a marriage by a court, commonly called a divorce.

55.ground (noun)

English Meaning - reason, cause, basis, rationale.

56.irretrievable (adjective)

English Meaning - irreversible, irreparable, irrecoverable.

57.breakdown (noun)

English Meaning - failure, collapse.

58.throw up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - produce and bring something to notice.

59.taboo (noun)

English Meaning - prohibition, restriction, ban.

60.stereotype (noun)

English Meaning - standard image, cliché, hackneyed idea.