The Assam Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on Wednesday, making it the first northeastern state and third Indian state, following Uttarakhand and Gujarat, to implement the legislation. The bill excludes those belonging to the Scheduled Tribes in Assam.
Addressing the assembly, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the exemption was granted as tribal communities have traditionally followed their own customary practices in personal affairs. “Tribals don’t support polygamy, give equal rights to girls, and don’t recognize live-in relationships. They, in a way, have been implementing the UCC for ages. Self-regulation is the best regulation. So, we don’t want to impose it on the tribals,” Sarma said.
The Assam Uniform Civil Code, Assam, 2026 Bill was tabled on May 25 in the Assembly by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora and was presented during the first session of the 16th Assam Legislative Assembly. The aim of the bill is to give a common set of civil laws that govern the matter, including those of marriage, divorce, inheritance, succession, and live-in relationships.
Meantime, it is imperative to note that, if found guilty, the bill proposes seven years of imprisonment for bigamy or polygamy and three months behind bars for not registering to live in a relationship.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that the proposed framework would be in alignment with Uniform Civil Code models that are adopted or are proposed in states such as Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Goa.
Ahead of this, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA in the Assam Assembly, Sherman Ali Ahmed, opposed certain provisions of the bill by staging a walkout. He further alleged that the proposed law has been introduced by the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with “malicious intention.” He said that it was “violative of the Fundamental Rights.”
Provisions like fixing the minimum marriageable age and regulations on live-in relationships were welcomed.
“While I was ready to support the UCC, broad-based discussions were needed on certain issues,” Ahmed said.
