The Assam government is set to introduce a new bill that mandates the registration of marriages and divorces among the Muslim community in the state. This significant legislative move is expected to be introduced during the upcoming state assembly session, beginning on August 22. The decision was made during a cabinet meeting held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati, presided over by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
In a press conference following the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Sarma announced the approval of the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, 2024.
He explained that under this new bill, the government, rather than traditional Kazis, would oversee the registration of Muslim marriages. The designated registration authority will be the Sub Registrar of the Assam government.
The bill also specifies that no marriage will be registered if either party is under 18 years of age. The primary objective of this legislation is to combat child marriage, which remains a pressing concern in the region.
This proposed bill marks a significant shift in the way marriage and divorce are handled within the Muslim community in Assam. By transferring the responsibility of registration from religious authorities to government officials, the state aims to ensure greater accountability and adherence to legal standards.
This move is also seen as a step towards addressing issues such as child marriage, which has been a long-standing social challenge.
In addition to the new bill on marriage and divorce, Chief Minister Sarma highlighted another important initiative. He announced that a 5-kilometre radius around heritage structures, such as Mandirs or Namghars that are at least 250 years old, will be declared as protected areas.
This designation will restrict land transactions within these zones, allowing only those families who have lived there for three generations or more to conduct such transactions. In the case of the Majuli district, the entire area will be covered under this protection.
Furthermore, the Assam government is planning to introduce a new law requiring compulsory security clearance for the establishment of universities in the state.
This move comes in response to concerns about institutions from outside the state, particularly from Kerala, seeking to open universities in Muslim-majority areas of Assam.
Chief Minister Sarma noted that the existing laws, created during Congress's tenure, lacked provisions for security clearance, allowing institutions to establish themselves without thorough background checks.
The new law will address this gap, ensuring that any new educational institution undergoes a rigorous security screening process before being permitted to operate in Assam.
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