Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma (PTI Photo)

The Assam government on Thursday officially declared polygamy unlawful, passing the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, in the state Legislative Assembly.

The new law, considered one of the country’s strongest legal frameworks against polygamy, will come into effect once it receives President Droupadi Murmu’s assent, expected by early December.

Under the legislation, individuals who conceal an existing marriage could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment, while entering into a second marriage without legally dissolving the first may result in up to seven years behind bars. Repeat offenders will face double penalties. Clerics who solemnise prohibited marriages may be fined up to Rs 1.5 lakh, and suppressing information from the police could invite up to two years’ imprisonment.

The bill was passed following a day-long debate in the Assembly. Speaking in the House, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called child marriage and polygamy as “a curse for women in the Muslim society,” saying they have been deprived of the basic right to live with dignity.

He cited disturbing practices, including girls becoming mothers as early as 12, elderly men marrying teenagers under the guise of community leadership, and minors being forced into marriage due to poverty.

Sarma highlighted the government’s efforts to curb child marriage, saying more than 5,000 people have been arrested this year, with cases filed under the POCSO Act and trials ongoing. “People are afraid to engage in child marriage now,” he said.

The Assam CM further noted, “We feel the pain of the people. We launched the Nijut Maina scheme so that a girl does not become a burden on her family. This year, 50,000 college-going girls have benefitted from the scheme. Enrolment of girls has increased and dropout rates in colleges are almost nil.”

Emphasising women’s self-respect and empowerment, Sarma said the ban on polygamy was a logical next step after initiatives like Orunodoi, Panchayat and government job reservations.

Addressing opposition criticism, he said the bill is “politics for the empowerment of women from marginalised communities,” noting that families sometimes marry off minor girls to settle land disputes, leaving them vulnerable to abuse.

“Despite many minority MLAs in this House, not a single woman MLA has emerged from the community since Anowara Taimur. Child marriage and polygamy have crushed the liberty of women. Families even marry off minor girls to settle land disputes; these girls end up being tortured,” he said.

The Chief Minister also declared that if re-elected, he intends to introduce the Uniform Civil Code in Assam and raise the minimum legal age of marriage for women to 21 years.