Dispur: The Assam Cabinet on Friday approved repealed the ‘Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to X and wrote that the move marks another significant step towards prohibiting child marriages in the state. He said that the act contained provisions that allow marriage registration even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages required by the law.
“On February 23, the Assam cabinet made a significant decision to repeal the age-old Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act. This act contained provisions allowing marriage registration even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages of 18 and 21, as required by law. This move marks another significant step towards prohibiting child marriages in Assam,” CM Sarma said on X.
Elaborating why the decision has been taken to repeal the Act, the Assam Government said that machinery of registration is informal that leave a lot of scope for non-compliance of norms.
Here’s What Changes In Assam After The Implementation Of The Order?
• The Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 provides the facility of voluntary registration of Muslim marriages and divorces. The law authorised the state government to provide licenses to register such marriages and divorces.
• After the law is repealed, Muslim people will not be able to register marriages and divorces.
• District commissioners and district registrars are going to take custody of registration records which is held by 94 Muslim Marriage Registrars.
• A one-time compensation of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to every Muslim Marriage Registrars for their rehabilitation.
• The state government wants all such marriages to be registered under the Special Marriage Act.
• The Muslim Marriage Act was being used in the state to register the underaged marriages of boys and girls. This will end now.
Assam Government And UCC Promise
Since taking the oath as the Chief Minister of Assam, one of Himanta Biswa Sarma’s main promises has been to introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. Earlier this month, he stated that the government would ban polygamy for the benefit of women in the state. On multiple occasions, he has mentioned that after Uttarakhand and Gujarat, Assam will be the third state to implement the Uniform Civil Code.
Notably, the Uttarakhand government passed the Uniform Civil Code bill in state assembly. The UCC bill replaces divorces, religious personal laws governing marriages, and inheritance with common rules, equally applicable to people of all religions.
