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Assam passes anti-polygamy bill, CM Himanta vows to bring UCC next if NDA retains power

GUWAHATI: The Assam Assembly on Thursday passed the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill 2025 that prescribed stringent punishment for offenders. Assam moves with resolve. Womens rights will not be compromised. Through the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill 2025, we secure legal protection, strict penalties and real accountability, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The bill will now be sent for the Presidents assent. Sarma said the government had earlier set a target to ban polygamy and child marriage. The minimum age for marriage is 21 years for men and 18 years for women. If God gives me power the next time (next term), we will increase the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 years to 21 years, the chief minister said. Some people attributed our actions to politics, but we had to take thesechild marriage and polygamy snatched Muslim women and girls minimum right to live, he added. After bringing laws against polygamy and child marriage, the focus of the BJP-led government is now on Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Sarma assured the House that if the NDA retained power, it would bring UCC in Assam, which is expected to go to polls early next year. Stop me, but if you cannot, I will bring UCC in the first session of the Assembly, the chief minister said, challenging the Opposition. The Polygamy Bill proposed seven years of rigorous imprisonment for the offenders, ban on contesting Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local Bodies (Municipalities) and any other such elections, and deletion of names from the lists of beneficiaries of government schemes. The convicts will not be entitled to public employment or appointments, and will also be denied benefits under any government-funded or government-aided scheme. The law, however, will not apply to the Sixth Schedule areas and to the members of any Scheduled Tribe community. Whoever during the lifetime of his or her spouse or during subsistence of a valid marriage or without having been lawfully divorced from the spouse, or without having been declared the marriage null and void or dissolved contracts a marriageshall be guilty of an offence punishable with imprisonment up to 7 years and fine, the bill says. It further states that anyone found committing the offence by concealing a previous marriage will face imprisonment for 10 years and a fine. If the offence is repeated after conviction, the offender will face double punishment. The Bill also states that village chiefs, Quazis, parents or legal guardians of a party to a polygamous marriage who dishonestly or fraudulently conceal information and intentionally take part in its performance or solemnisation shall be punished with imprisonment of up to two years and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh. The bill says women, who are victims of polygamy, may approach the competent authority to claim compensation.