GUWAHATI: In a landmark legislative move, the Assam Legislative Assembly has passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026, making Assam the first state in Northeast India and the third in the country following Uttarakhand and Gujarat to enact such a law. The legislation establishes a common civil framework for all residents regardless of religion, replacing community specific personal laws governing marriage, divorce, succession and live in relationships.
A central provision of the newly passed bill is the strict prohibition of polygamy and bigamy, violations of which will now attract up to seven years of imprisonment. The law also standardizes the legal marriageable age at 21 for men and 18 for women. In a major step toward regulating modern partnerships, the legislation mandates the registration of live in relationships within one month. Failure to declare a live in relationship can lead to a three month jail term or a fine of up to ₹10,000. Crucially, the bill protects vulnerable individuals by ensuring children born out of such unions are legally recognized as legitimate and allows deserted partners to claim financial maintenance through the courts.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the bill’s passage as a historic milestone for gender equality and social justice. He clarified that the state’s Scheduled Tribes have been explicitly kept outside the bill’s purview to protect their customary practices and traditions.
To further safeguard legal rights and prevent fraud, the UCC makes the statewide registration of all marriages and divorces compulsory within 60 days. It also introduces uniform, gender-equal inheritance rules. While Opposition legislators protested the bill and demanded it be sent to a select committee for wider scrutiny, it was ultimately passed by a voice vote.
