Assam to Repeal Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act

Guwahati: Treading the path of Uttarakhand which became the first state in independent India to pass legislation on a Uniform Civil Code, Assam is heading towards a similar law in the state by deciding to repeal the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act.

Assam Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah on Friday told newsmen that the Assam cabinet has taken the decision to table a bill regarding it in the Assam Assembly, which is scheduled to be in session till February 28.

Earlier Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said “The Assam Muslim Marriage & Divorce Registration Act, 1935, will be repealed and no Muslim marriage or divorce will be registered under the Act. We want all such matters to be under the Special Marriage Act.”

The 94 Muslim registrars, who were registering marriages under the Act in Assam, will be given a one-time compensation of Rs 2 lakh.

On February 12, Chief Minister Sarma had said, “The Assam cabinet has discussed both the anti-polygamy and UCC bills. We were working on the anti-polygamy bill while Uttarakhand passed the UCC. An expert committee is working on aligning the two aspects so we can bring a more robust legislation.”