Guwahati, Nov 28: The Assam Assembly on Thursday passed the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, making polygamy a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment of up to 10 years, with certain exemptions. The legislation excludes Scheduled Tribe communities and areas under the Sixth Schedule from its purview.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who holds the home and political portfolios, clarified that the bill applies uniformly across all religions. He stated that the law is not directed at any specific community and will cover Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and other groups in the state.
Opposition parties AIUDF and CPI(M) moved amendments seeking changes to the bill, but these were rejected by voice vote. CPI(M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar urged that the bill be referred to a Select Committee for further examination, a proposal not accepted by the House.
The bill prescribes imprisonment of up to seven years and fines for entering into polygamous marriages. Concealing an existing marriage to enter another can lead to up to 10 years of imprisonment and fines. Repeat offenders will face double the punishment for each subsequent offence.
The legislation also includes penalties for individuals who facilitate polygamous marriages. Village heads, religious officials, or guardians who knowingly assist such marriages may face up to two years of imprisonment and fines up to Rs 1 lakh. Those solemnizing the marriages may face up to two years in jail or fines up to Rs 1.5 lakh.
Convicted individuals will be barred from public employment, government welfare schemes, and from contesting elections for local bodies, including Panchayati Raj institutions and Urban Local Bodies. The bill also includes provisions for compensation to women who suffer hardships due to polygamous marriages.
During the session, Sarma reiterated that if re-elected as Chief Minister in the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, his government will introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in the first session and move quickly to implement it.
He further announced plans to bring a bill against deceptive marriages by February, referring to measures aimed at curbing so-called ‘love jihad’, which he said would be taken up during the current session.
The passage of the polygamy prohibition bill marks a significant legislative step and signals the state government’s broader push toward implementing the UCC in Assam.
