Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday, May 15, announced a proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for the state that, he said, will apply the law equally to all residents and safeguard the rights of women and children while exempting tribal communities to protect their customs and traditions. The chief minister said the draft UCC Bill will be introduced in the Assam Assembly on May 26.
In a post on X, Sarma described the legislation as a move toward “one state, one law,” aiming to create a common legal framework for personal matters such as marriage, divorce, succession and live‑in relationships. He reiterated that the Janjatiya and Adivasi communities would be fully outside the scope of the UCC to preserve traditional social practices.
Key features shared by the chief minister include fixing the legal marriageable age at 18 for women and 21 for men, and mandatory registration of marriages and live‑in relationships within 60 days. Sarma said the code will prohibit polygamy and require marriage registration to strengthen legal clarity.
Sarma said the proposed law would ensure equal inheritance rights for spouses, children and parents, and provide explicit maintenance rights to women in both marriages and live‑in relationships. He added that all children would be recognised as legitimate and that custody of children below five years of age would primarily remain with the mother.
The draft will also include provisions for penalties in cases of false declarations, the chief minister said, aimed at maintaining the integrity of legal records. The announcement follows the state cabinet’s approval of UCC implementation in its first meeting of the new government, made days earlier.
Sarma framed the UCC as a step to standardise personal law across Assam and to ensure fairness and legal certainty, particularly for women and children, while asserting protections for tribal customary practices.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/ucc-will-ensure-justice-equal-rights-for-every-citizen-himanta-biswa-sarma-1392400-2026-05-15?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-05-15 18:02:00
