Assam Passes Bill To Ban Polygamy; CM Sarma Calls It A 'Curse For Muslim Women'
The new law will come into effect once it receives President Droupadi Murmu’s assent, expected by early December.
The Assam government on Thursday officially declared polygamy unlawful, passing the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, in the state Legislative Assembly.
The new law, considered one of the country’s strongest legal frameworks against polygamy, will come into effect once it receives President Droupadi Murmu’s assent, expected by early December.
Under the legislation, individuals who conceal an existing marriage could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment, while entering into a second marriage without legally dissolving the first may result in up to seven years behind bars. Repeat offenders will face double penalties. Clerics who solemnise prohibited marriages may be fined up to Rs 1.5 lakh, and suppressing information from the police could invite up to two years’ imprisonment.
The bill was passed following a day-long debate in the Assembly. Speaking in the House, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called child marriage and polygamy as “a curse for women in the Muslim society," saying they have been deprived of the basic right to live with dignity.
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