Assam, India

India’s north-eastern state of Assam on Thursday (Aug 29) approved a bill mandating Muslims to get their marriage and divorce registered with the government. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who hails from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), called the day “historic”, saying his next target would be the practice of polygamy.

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The CM took to X to share why the state government chose to enact a new law, replacing the 1935 Act that had governed these matters in the state so far.

“This Act will now make it mandatory to register marriages with the Govt and cannot contravene the legal age of marriage of 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys. It will also act as a strict deterrent against teenage pregnancy and improve overall growth of our girls,” Sarma said.

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He added that the bill would give girls in the state a life of dignity.

“I thank all the legislators who pledged their support to this Bill and Govt’s vision of preventing child marriage. This Bill is above party politics and is a means to give our girls a life of dignity,” the CM posted.

The bill, called as Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, was introduced earlier on Tuesday.

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The purpose of the bill is to do away with the Kazi system, under which a religious cleric would register the marriage. The new bill, however, doesn’t invalidate previous marriages registered under the Kazi system and will only apply to future marriages.

The government had initially struck down the British-era law in March through an ordinance. Now, the bill has got the assembly’s nod as well.

"We are not interfering with the marriages solemnised by Islamic rituals under Muslim Personnel Law at all. Our only condition is that Islam prohibited marriages will not be registered," the CM added.

(With inputs from agencies)