Assam Introduces Uniform Civil Code Bill to Standardize Family Law

Guwahati: The Assam government introduced the Uniform Civil Code, Assam, 2026 Bill during the 16th session of the Legislative Assembly. This legislation seeks to replace religious personal laws with a unified legal framework for marriage, divorce, and succession. To protect constitutional rights and customary practices, the bill explicitly exempts the state's Scheduled Tribes.

Under the new rules, monogamy is mandatory and the legal marriage age is set at 21 for men and 18 for women. While couples can continue to hold traditional ceremonies, all marriages and divorces must be registered with the Sub-Registrar within 60 days to ensure legal transparency. The bill also establishes uniform grounds for divorce, such as cruelty or desertion, and dictates that mothers generally retain custody of children under five years old.

The legislation introduces a gender-neutral succession policy for inheritance among Class-1 heirs. Additionally, it brings live-in relationships under the law by requiring mandatory registration within one month. Children born to live-in partners will be considered legitimate, and deserted partners gain the right to seek court-ordered financial maintenance.

Stringent penalties accompany these changes. Bigamy and polygamy could lead to seven years of imprisonment under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The government stated these measures aim to promote gender justice and protect vulnerable individuals while acknowledging modern family structures.