The Assam government on Monday tabled a Bill on the Uniform Civil Code, seeking to ban polygamy and make registration of live-in relationships compulsory.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora tabled ‘The Uniform Civil Code, Assam, 2026 Bill’ in the assembly on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The opposition parties, including Congress, Raijor Dal and Trinamool Congress, opposed the move and demanded wider consultation with all the stakeholders before its introduction.
“The Bill aims to consolidate and simplify laws governing marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships,” Sarma said in the ‘Statement of Object and Reasons’ in the Bill.
For marriage, the Bill sets 21 years and 18 years as minimum ages for men and women respectively, and prohibits polygamy, he added.
“For the first time, Bill provides a legal framework for live-in relationships. By requiring registration, the law ensures that the rights of partners — and any children born from such unions — are formally recognised and protected,” the CM said in the Bill.
The Bill, however, said that it will not be applicable to any of the Scheduled Tribes residing in Assam.
Gujarat passes UCC earlier
The Gujarat assembly on March 24 also passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill that seeks to put in place a common legal framework to govern marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships irrespective of religion.
The bill stipulates 7 years of jail term if marriages are conducted through force, coercion, or fraud, and also prohibits bigamy/polygamy. It also makes registration of marriages and live-in relationships mandatory.
The ruling BJP hailed the bill, which exempts tribals, as a landmark reform to ensure equality, while the Congress vehemently opposed it saying it violates fundamental right and was “anti-Muslim”.
