In a significant move, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that his government will introduce a bill for the compulsory government registration of Muslim marriages and divorces in the upcoming Autumn assembly session.
The bill, known as the Assam Compulsory Registration of Marriage And Divorce Bill, aims to address and prevent child marriages in the state.
Speaking to the media ahead of the monsoon session, Mr Sarma stated that the new legislation will prohibit the registration of marriages involving individuals under the age of 18.
This step is part of a broader effort to safeguard minors and ensure that all marriages comply with legal standards.
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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