In a significant step towards implementing a uniform civil code, the Assam Assembly passed a bill on Thursday to repeal a law governing the registration of Muslim marriages and divorces. The Assam Repealing Bill, 2024, annuls The Assam Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, and the Assam Repealing Ordinance 2024.
The BJP-led government in Assam has championed this change, aiming to address issues such as child marriages and integrate Muslim marriage and divorce registrations into the state’s official system. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized that the move seeks to eliminate child marriages and transition away from the traditional “qazi” system, where clerics handle marriage registrations, in favor of government-managed registration.
The previous British-era law permitted the registration of marriages involving minors under certain conditions. The newly introduced Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriage and Divorce Bill, 2024, will prohibit the registration of child marriages and mandate government registration for all marriages.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Jogen Mohan highlighted that the old law had significant loopholes, including non-mandatory registration and informal registration practices, which led to non-compliance and legal disputes. The new bill aims to address these issues by preventing underage marriages, ensuring consent in marriages, and protecting women’s rights, thereby strengthening the institution of marriage.
Opposition parties have criticized the bill as “discriminatory against Muslims” and an attempt to polarize voters. However, the government argues that the intent is to combat child marriage and establish a more uniform and regulated system for marriage and divorce registrations.
This legislative change occurs amid Chief Minister Sarma’s frequent calls for a uniform civil code and his controversial remarks about Assam’s Muslim demographic. Sarma has asserted that Muslims in Assam are growing at a rate of 30 percent per decade, potentially becoming the majority by 2041, compared to Hindus who are increasing at approximately 16 percent per decade. He has described this demographic shift as a “matter of life and death” and suggested re-evaluating minority status on a district-wise basis, proposing that in districts where Muslims are the majority, Hindus should be recognized as minorities to address imbalances in population and resource allocation.
