Assam Moves To Implement Uniform Civil Code, Draft Bill Headed To Assembly

Leaders pitch equal rights for women and children, with tribal communities kept out.

Overview

Assam's new cabinet approved a state Uniform Civil Code and the chief minister said a draft bill will go to the Assembly later this month.
The plan, as explained by Himanta Biswa Sarma, sets the legal marriage age at 18 for women and 21 for men and outlaws polygamy.
It also promises equal inheritance for daughters and covers succession with compulsory registration of marriage and divorce and reporting of live‑in relationships within 60 days.
Tribal communities are exempt to preserve customary practices, which officials say protects local traditions in the Northeast.
Independent reporting describes mandatory registration of live‑in relationships with possible fines or short jail terms for non‑registration, which young urban residents criticized as invasive, and the government has not yet published the bill text.