A bill to prohibit polygamy has been approved by the Assam Cabinet

¨     Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the State Cabinet has approved a bill to ban polygamy.

¨     The bill is titled “The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025”.

¨     It will be presented in the State Assembly on November 25.

¨     Conviction under this bill may lead to rigorous imprisonment of up to seven years.

¨     The Bill aims to prohibit any person from entering a second marriage if their first spouse is alive, if they are not legally separated, or if the first marriage has not been dissolved by a court decree.

¨     Polygamy has been classified as a cognisable offence under the Bill, making the accused ineligible for immediate bail.

¨     The state government has stated that the legislation has been framed to prevent harmful marital practices and ensure lawful and fair family relationships.

¨     The Bill will not apply to members of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) population and will not be enforced immediately in Assam’s six Scheduled Areas.

¨     Exemptions will also apply to minority Muslim residents living in the Scheduled Areas before 2005, considering historical customs and community practices.

¨     The government has decided to set up a fund for providing compensation to victims of polygamy.

¨     The financial support will ensure victims do not face hardship in continuing their lives.

¨     The Chief Minister stated that preventing exploitation of women is one of the primary aims of this bill.