Assam Tables Uniform Civil Code Bill

GUWAHATI — Following in the footsteps of Uttarakhand and Gujarat, the Assam government on Monday introduced a sweeping Uniform Civil Code, Assam, 2026 bill in the State Assembly. Tabled by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Bill aims to replace religion-based personal laws with a singular statutory framework governing all residents—with the explicit exclusion of Scheduled Tribes.

While Chief Minister Sarma hailed the Bill as a historic step toward “absolute equality and gender justice,” opposition leaders quickly slammed the move as a politically motivated attempt to “bulldoze” legislation without proper public consultation.

Key Takeaways of the Assam UCC Bill

The proposed law introduces stringent new compliance rules for relationships and heavy penalties for non-compliance:

• Ban on Polygamy: Bigamy and polygamy are completely outlawed. Violators will face up to seven years of imprisonment under Section 82 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
• Standardized Marriage Age: The legal age for marriage is fixed at 21 years for grooms and 18 years for brides, with compulsory registration required for all marriages and divorces to prevent fraud.
• Strict Live-In Relationship Mandates: Partners in a live-in relationship must register with the state within one month. Failure to do so carries a penalty of up to three months in prison, a fine of up to ₹10,000, or both.
• Protection for Live-In Partners & Children: The Bill explicitly grants children born out of live-in relationships full legal legitimacy. It also gives deserted live-in partners the legal right to claim financial maintenance through the courts.
• Gender-Equal Inheritance: For intestate inheritance (dying without a will), the Bill establishes a uniform, gender-equal order of preference among Class-1 heirs (spouse, children, and parents).
• Child Custody: Uniform grounds for divorce (cruelty, desertion, mutual consent) are codified, and the custody of children under five years old is guaranteed to the mother.
• Repeal of Existing Laws: The Bill repeals the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Act, 2024, to streamline state legal architecture.

Political Flashpoints & Next Steps

The introduction of the Bill immediately triggered sharp resistance on the assembly floor, with MLAs from three Opposition parties standing up to oppose it.

“The introduction of the UCC Bill paves the way for an on-record discussion on why it is the need of the hour and how it will help realise the path our founding fathers laid down.” — Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam

Conversely, the opposition argued that the ruling BJP is rushing the law to serve its own political agenda. The high-stakes legislative battle is far from over. The Assembly has scheduled the UCC Bill for a full floor discussion and debate tomorrow, May 27. Expect fierce arguments from both sides of the aisle.