Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Assam government will introduce a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in the assembly on May 26, 2024 [1].
The move represents a significant step toward aligning state law with the central promises of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). By implementing a common set of laws for all citizens regardless of religion, the government seeks to standardize personal and family laws across the region.
The legislative process begins with the upcoming session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, which is scheduled to start on May 21, 2024 [2]. Following this opening, the specific UCC bill will be presented five days later [1].
This initiative follows recent cabinet approval of the draft bill. The push for a uniform code comes after the state of Assam recently implemented a ban on polygamy, signaling a shift toward more rigid personal law regulations.
Despite the goal of uniformity, the government has specified that tribal areas will be exempt from the code [1]. This exemption is intended to protect the distinct customary laws, and traditional practices maintained by indigenous communities in the state.
Sarma said the implementation of the UCC is a Day-1 priority for the current government. The move aligns with a broader political objective to replace fragmented religious laws with a single legal framework for marriage, divorce, and inheritance [3].
“The Assam government will introduce a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in the assembly on May 26, 2024.”
The introduction of a Uniform Civil Code in Assam serves as a legislative test case for the BJP's national agenda to secularize personal laws. By exempting tribal areas, the government is attempting to balance the pursuit of legal uniformity with the political necessity of maintaining support among indigenous populations who rely on customary law.
