Assam Government Approves Bill to Ban Polygamy with Seven-Year Imprisonment Penalty

Guwahati:

The Assam government has endorsed legislation to ban polygamy within the state, as announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday following a Cabinet meeting at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati.

According to Sarma, the proposed legislation will criminalize polygamy, with offenders facing up to seven years imprisonment, alongside provisions for compensating female victims.

The Chief Minister clarified that this legislation will exclude Scheduled Tribe (ST) populations and won't be immediately implemented in Assam's six Scheduled Areas.

"It will apply to everybody except tribals," Sarma emphasized.

He added that certain exemptions would apply to minority Muslim residents in Scheduled Areas who settled before 2005, placing them outside the law's jurisdiction.

The Chief Minister also discussed various ongoing governmental initiatives, including the review of arms license applications, with initial approvals expected by February, and measures to regulate land sale permissions across districts.

Addressing demographic patterns, Sarma referenced census data from 2001 to 2011, pointing out that while Hindu population growth rates have decreased, Muslim population numbers have increased across several blocks in Assam.

He also highlighted Assam's growing influence in welfare programs, noting that schemes like 'Ladli Behna' in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar were inspired by Assam's social welfare initiatives.