In a landmark move, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared that his government will present a bill mandating government registration of Muslim marriages and divorces during the forthcoming Autumn assembly session.
The Assam Compulsory Registration of Marriage and Divorce Bill seeks to address and prevent underage marriages in the state.
Speaking to the media ahead of the monsoon session, Mr Sarma indicated that the new legislation will bar the registration of marriages between people under the age of 18.
This action is part of a larger effort to protect minors and guarantee that all marriages meet legal requirements.
On Wednesday, the Assam Cabinet approved the Muslim Marriage Registration Bill 2024, which stipulates that marriage registrations will be handled by government authorities rather than Qazis.
Once enacted, the new law will make the registration of child marriages illegal.
In addition to the marriage registration bill, Mr Sarma revealed that the state government will introduce a new law criminalising “Love Jihad”, with provisions for life imprisonment for those found guilty. He also mentioned plans to propose a bill to prevent inter-religious land transfers.
The Assam government has previously decided to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act and Rules 1935 through the Assam Repealing Bill 2024. This repeal, along with the proposed new legislation, will be tabled in the next monsoon session of the state assembly.
Additionally, the State Cabinet has directed the preparation of suitable legislation for the registration of Muslim marriages in Assam, to be considered in the upcoming session.
Earlier, the Assam government had considered introducing legislation on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) following the Lok Sabha elections. Mr Sarma has also pledged that child marriages will be eradicated from Assam by 2026.
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