By the conclusion of the current fiscal year, Assam will pass a law outlawing polygamy, according to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
He said that a report had been prepared by an expert committee his government had assembled to assess whether the state legislature could pass such a bill.
A Bill to prohibit polygamy will be introduced this fiscal year, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Sunday, hours after an expert committee's report on the state's ability to do so was submitted.
Speaking at a press conference at this location, he said that the expert committee, which had earlier in the day delivered its findings, had unanimously agreed that the state could create its own laws to outlaw polygamy.
The state government has the authority to create polygamy laws, the committee unanimously concluded. Such a law can be passed by the state legislature, he noted.
Sarma noted that the panel had specified that the President, not the Governor, must grant the Bill his or her assent.
"The committee has noted that the Muslim law makes no reference of age. We can thus introduce state law with the same requirements as those in the POCSO Act to eliminate the inconsistency with it, he continued.
The chief minister responded in the affirmative when asked if Assam would introduce a law to outlaw polygamy.
The measure would undoubtedly be implemented during this fiscal year, he stressed.
According to Sarma, it will be decided whether the relevant Bill will be introduced at the Assembly's upcoming September session, December session, or budget session.
As a similar law has never been presented in Assam, we would need to give the MLAs some time to debate this bill. We'll pause now.
The situation would be different, according to the chief minister, if the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) went into effect before the state's anticipated polygamy law.
He responded, "There is not much need to take the opinion of groups and social organizations because we have the pulse that Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and all other communities have accepted our effort.
"There is no justification to object. However, there is no issue if the Cabinet decides to consider the viewpoints of all parties since we have time for that. Few people are opposed to this move.
