Assam Assembly Passes Uniform Civil Code Bill
Assam becomes first Northeastern state and third in India to adopt Uniform Civil Code legislation
- Assam Assembly passed Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026
- State becomes first in Northeast to adopt UCC legislation
- Bill covers marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relations
- Scheduled Tribes kept outside Bill’s ambit to protect customs
GG News Bureau
Guwahati, 28th May: The Assam Legislative Assembly has passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, making Assam the first state in the Northeast and the third state in the country to adopt such legislation.
The Bill, titled “The Uniform Civil Code, Assam, Bill, 2026”, was introduced during the first session of the 16th Assam Legislative Assembly on Monday and was passed on the concluding day of the session.
The legislation was tabled by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The Bill seeks to establish a common civil legal framework for all residents of Assam in matters related to marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships.
However, Scheduled Tribes have been excluded from the scope of the law in order to preserve constitutional safeguards and customary practices.
Under the new provisions, the Bill mandates monogamy and prescribes a uniform legal marriage age of 21 years for men and 18 years for women. At the same time, it permits marriages to be solemnised according to existing religious ceremonies, customs and traditional practices.
Speaking after the passage of the Bill, Sarma said the legislation would now be sent to the Governor and later forwarded to the President of India for assent.
He stated that the Uniform Civil Code would be implemented in Assam after receiving Presidential approval and described the passage of the Bill during the first session of the newly constituted Assembly as a “historic achievement”.
The Chief Minister said the UCC was one of the promises made in the ruling alliance’s election manifesto.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also congratulated the people of Assam after the Bill was passed in the Assembly.
In a post on social media, Shah said implementation of the Uniform Civil Code has remained a long-standing commitment of the BJP since its foundation.
He said that after Uttarakhand and Gujarat, Assam has now adopted the UCC framework and added that the government remains committed to ensuring equality before the law across the country.
