Assam Govt to Introduce Bill for Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces

GG News Bureau
Guwahati, 22nd August. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced today that his government will introduce a bill for the compulsory registration of Muslim marriages and divorces during the upcoming Autumn assembly session. The proposed legislation, known as the Assam Compulsory Registration of Marriage and Divorce Bill, aims to tackle and prevent child marriages in the state.

The bill will mandate that all marriages involving individuals under the age of 18 be prohibited from registration. This measure is part of a broader initiative to protect minors and ensure compliance with legal standards.

The Assam Cabinet has already approved the Muslim Marriage Registration Bill 2024, which will transfer the responsibility of marriage registrations from Qazis to government authorities. Once enacted, this new law will render the registration of child marriages illegal.

In addition to the marriage registration bill, Mr. Sarma announced plans to introduce a new law criminalizing “Love Jihad,” which includes provisions for life imprisonment for those convicted. The government also intends to propose legislation to prevent inter-religious land transfers.

The Assam government has decided to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act and Rules 1935 through the Assam Repealing Bill 2024. Both the repeal and the new legislation will be presented in the next monsoon session of the state assembly.

The State Cabinet has instructed the preparation of appropriate legislation for the registration of Muslim marriages, which will be considered in the upcoming session. Previously, the Assam government had contemplated introducing legislation on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) following the Lok Sabha elections. Chief Minister Sarma has also committed to eradicating child marriages from Assam by 2026.