Assam UCC bill tabled, proposes ban on Polygamy
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Guwahati: Assam Minister Arup Bora on Monday tabled the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Assam, 2026 Bill in the state Assembly, proposing a common civil framework governing marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships for all residents of the state, while exempting Scheduled Tribes to safeguard their constitutional protections.
The proposed legislation seeks to replace religion-based personal laws with a unified code aimed at ensuring gender justice, equality and legal uniformity across communities.
Under the Bill, monogamy has been made compulsory, while the legal marriage age has been standardised at 21 years for men and 18 years for women. At the same time, the legislation retains cultural and religious diversity by allowing marriages to be solemnised according to existing customs and ceremonies, including Vedic Bibah, Ahom Chaklong, Saptapadi, Nikah, Holy Union and Anand Karaj.
The Bill also makes registration of marriages and divorces mandatory across the state. Couples will be required to submit a marriage memorandum before the Sub-Registrar within 60 days of the ceremony.
Uniform grounds for divorce, including cruelty, desertion and mutual consent, have also been codified under the proposed law. The legislation further states that custody of children below five years of age will ordinarily remain with the mother.
In matters of succession, the Bill introduces a gender-equal inheritance structure for intestate succession, placing spouses, children and parents within the same Class-1 category of heirs. It also grants every adult of sound mind the legal right to execute a written and witnessed Will.
The proposed law additionally introduces regulations for live-in relationships by making their registration compulsory within one month. Children born from such relationships will be considered legitimate, while deserted partners will be entitled to seek financial maintenance through courts.
The Bill prescribes stringent penalties for violations. Bigamy and polygamy could attract imprisonment of up to seven years under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, while fraudulent marriages carried out through coercion, force or concealment may also invite imprisonment of up to seven years along with fines.
Failure to register marriages, divorces or live-in relationships within the stipulated period will attract penalties, while submission of forged documents could lead to imprisonment and fines.
The proposed legislation also seeks to repeal the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Act, 2024. However, polygamous marriages solemnised before the enforcement of the UCC will continue to remain legally protected under a savings clause.
With IANS inputs