ANI file photo
NEW DELHI: The Assam Assembly on Tuesday passed “The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025,” aiming to ban polygamous marriages across the state and impose strict penalties on those who enter into or conceal a second marriage while the first is still valid.The law, introduced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the first day of the winter session, will apply statewide except in Sixth Schedule areas and to members of Scheduled Tribes as defined under the Constitution. Speaking before the state assembly approved the bill, Sarma said the legislation, which bans polygamous marriages across most of Assam, is not against Islam.
“Islam can’t promote polygamy. If this bill passes, then you will get a chance to be a true Muslim. This bill is not against Islam. The true Islamic people will welcome this Act. Countries like Turkey have also banned Polygamy; there is an arbitration council in Pakistan…” Sarma said, as cited by ANI.Sarma has also pledged to implement the Uniform Civil Code in Assam if he is re-elected in next year’s assembly polls.”If I return to the assembly as the Chief Minister, I will bring the UCC in the first session of the assembly. I give you my commitment that I will bring the UCC to Assam,” Sarma added.The bill was introduced amid the absence of opposition MLAs from Congress, CPI(M), and Raijor Dal, who staged a walkout following a discussion on the death of singer Zubeen Garg.The bill defines polygamy as marrying another person while either party already has a valid, existing marriage or a living spouse from whom they are not legally divorced or whose marriage has not been annulled.It states that anyone entering into a polygamous marriage will face up to seven years in prison and a fine, as specified in law. “No person shall marry, if, he has a living spouse or he is not legally separated from the other spouse following due procedure of law, after marriage, or he is a party to a marriage which is not yet dissolved or annulled by a decree of divorce and either has right to appeal or the specified time for appeal has not been expired or is in appeal, or the appeal has been presented but has not yet been dismissed,” the bill mentions, as cited by ANI. “Whoever abets any offences punishable under this Act or attempts to commit any such offence shall be punishable with the punishment as provided under the Act for the offence of polygamy. 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 marriage contravening any of the provisions contained in the Act under Section 4 shall be guilty of an offence punishable with imprisonment upto 7 years and a fine,” the bill adds.
