The BJP’s 2024 manifesto outlines plans for implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), introducing a Uniform Civil Code, and advocating for One Nation One Election.
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) outlined a comprehensive legal agenda in its manifesto for the 2024 general election. The party’s key pledges include the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), One Nation, One Election, and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
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The BJP promised to implement the CAA, which aims to confer citizenship to eligible individuals. However, it is important to note that the Supreme Court of India is currently hearing petitions challenging the CAA and the recently notified Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024.
The CAA seeks 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.
The BJP manifesto refers to Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, which lists the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as one of the Directive Principles of State Policy.
“The BJP emphasizes the importance of gender equality and asserts that true equality cannot be achieved until India adopts a Uniform Civil Code that safeguards the rights of all women. The party reaffirms its commitment to formulating a Uniform Civil Code that draws from the finest traditions while aligning them with contemporary values.”
The BJP established a committee, headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, to examine the feasibility of conducting simultaneous elections. The party aims to implement the recommendations of the Committee, which support the concept of One Nation, One Election.
The BJP manifesto mentions the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which aims to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and overhaul the criminal justice system. The party is committed to implementing the BNS effectively through measures such as training, online certificate courses, and curriculum enhancements in universities and law schools. The BNS was introduced as a set of bills in August 2023 and received the assent of the President of India in December 2023.
The BJP’s manifesto also includes several other legal pledges, such as the implementation of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act to tackle misconduct in recruitment exams. The party aims to reduce compliance burdens for small traders and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to enhance ease of living and doing business. Additionally, the BJP plans to digitize land records, change the shipping industry, protect cultural intellectual property, and expedite the resolution of court cases through initiatives like the National Litigation Policy and the e-Courts Mission Mode Project.
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The manifesto outlines several commitments, including:
- The enactment of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, passed on February 9, aimed at preventing malpractices in recruitment exams nationwide.
- Simplifying compliance requirements for small traders and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to improve their ease of doing business. The party plans to collaborate with state governments to streamline state legislation.
- Advancing the digitization of land records and integrating related institutions like Revenue Courts and Registration Offices under a next-generation initiative.
- Revitalizing the domestic shipping industry through a comprehensive overhaul of the legal framework to foster faster growth.
- Developing legal standards for the protection of cultural intellectual property (IP) in collaboration with both domestic and international bodies, including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),.
- Introducing a national litigation policy to expedite court processes, reduce litigation costs, and decrease the volume of cases involving the government, thereby alleviating the burden on the judiciary.
- Reforming both commercial and civil justice systems in a manner similar to recent criminal justice reforms aims to streamline procedures, increase legal process efficiency, and ensure timely justice to create a more business-friendly and citizen-focused environment.
- Expediting the e-Courts Mission Mode Project to achieve complete digitization of court records and facilitate easy online access to court proceedings.
- Establishing fast-track courts to swiftly address and reduce case backlogs in specific areas.
- Enhancing the legal framework to further promote an ecosystem conducive to arbitration and mediation.
