In a decisive step to combat child marriages, the Assam cabinet announced plans to repeal the 1935 legislation governing Muslim marriages and divorces, intending to introduce new safeguards. The new law will be presented in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the Assembly.
Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted this initiative on X, stating, “We have taken a significant step to ensure justice for our daughters and sisters by putting additional safeguards against child marriage. In the meeting of the Assam cabinet today, we have decided to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act, 1935.”
In February this year, the cabinet had already approved the repeal of the 89-year-old Act. This Act had provided for voluntary registration of Muslim marriages and divorces, and allowed the government to authorise individuals to register these events.
However, the outdated Act was seen as insufficient for contemporary needs and was reportedly being used to register marriages of minors.
According to Himanta Sarma, the new legislation aims to establish uniformity in the registration process of marriages and divorces. The Assam Repealing Bill, 2024, will be tabled in the Monsoon Session of the Assembly for this purpose.
“The State cabinet has also directed that a suitable legislation be brought in for the registration of Muslim marriages in Assam, to be considered by the next session of assembly,” the CM added on X.
Previously, 94 individuals in Assam were authorised to register Muslim marriages and divorces. Their authority ended following the cabinet’s decision in February, reflecting the government’s resolve to align the registration process with current societal norms.
The BJP-led State Government believes that repealing the old Act is a significant step towards preventing child marriages, ensuring that marriage registrations adhere to legal age requirements.
