"Important To Realise This Ambition": Ex Chief Justice Advocates For Uniform Civil Code

Former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Saturday hailed the Constitution as the force offering stability to the nation and binding together different communities, religions, regions and cultures, moulding India into one country.

Asked about the Opposition flagging threat to Constitution and constitutional bodies and institutions, the CJI said: "The Constitution is here for all times."

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the launch of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's new book, 'Our Living Constitution', the former CJI said: "Over the past 75 years, the Constitution has witnessed cycles, in terms, of governance, pandemic and internal and external challenges to the nation but the true importance of the Constitution lies in the fact that it has imparted great stability to the nation."

He also hailed the Constitution's ability to wheel together as one unit the different communities, religions, regions and cultures and, in that sense, it has "moulded India into one nation".

Speaking after the event organised by India's International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN), Justice Chandrachud also reflected on the desirability to have a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the nation.

The former CJI said: "The Constitution expresses the desirability of a Uniform Civil Code. At least 75 years after the founding of the Constitution, it's important for us to realise this ambition and goal of the Constitution."

"But, at the same time, we need to take all segments of our society and community into confidence. This is truly in the interest of a future, just Indian society which we need to create," he said.

He said today's event was all about a Living Constitution and the value of the Constitution in the life of every citizen in carving out a better future for all of us and the nation.

"I think these conversations are vital for our younger generation which is the hope and future of our society and the nation," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)