Assam Cabinet nod to anti-polygamy Bill, Pg8.

Key Highlights:

• The Assam Cabinet approved the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill 2025, which entails a seven-year imprisonment for violators.
• The Bill is scheduled to be tabled in the Assam Legislative Assembly during the session starting November 25, 2025.
• The law will not apply to Scheduled Tribe communities and tribal districts under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
• The Bill includes a provision for a special fund to compensate women who are victims of polygamy.

Detailed Insights:

• The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill 2025 aims to prohibit the practice of polygamy, making it a cognizable offense with immediate imprisonment.
• A special fund will be established by the state to provide compensation to women who are victims of polygamy, including second wives and first wives who are sent away.
• Exemptions under the Bill include tribal people due to their customs, and Sixth Schedule districts such as BTC, Dima Hasao, and Karbi Anglong, where implementation will not be immediate.
• In 2023, the Assam government announced plans for the anti-polygamy legislation, but it was put on hold after Uttarakhand passed a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in 2024.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Polygamy: The practice of having more than one spouse at the same time.
• Sixth Schedule: A provision in the Constitution providing for special administration for certain tribal areas.
• Cognizable Offense: An offense for which a police officer can arrest without a warrant.