Assam: CM Sarma led govt repeals Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act

All matters pertaining to Muslim marriages and divorces would be governed by the Special Marriages Act

February 24, 2024

Assam takes down Muslim Marriage Act in major step towards UCC

In a major development, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led the Assam government has repealed the long-standing Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act of 1935.

Henceforth, all matters pertaining to Muslim marriages and divorces would be governed by the Special Marriages Act.

It comes three weeks after Uttarakhand became the first state to enact Uniform Civil Code legislation.

The decision was taken during a state cabinet meeting on Friday night chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Cabinet Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah referred to it as a major step toward a Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

“The District Commissioner and the District Registrar will now be in charge of registering Muslim marriages and divorces under the new structure. The 94 Muslim registrars who were employed under the revoked Act will also be released from their positions and given a lump sum payment of Rs.2 lakh,” he told reporters.

Mallabarua also emphasized the decision’s wider ramifications, especially in light of the state’s efforts to prohibit child marriage. He pointed out that juvenile marriages had been made easier by the antiquated 1935 Act, which was a holdover from the British Empire.

“The administration intends to address the issue of child marriage, which is defined as the union of individuals under the ages of 18 for women and 21 for men, by repealing this Act,” the minister added.

[With Inputs from IANS]

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