Assam Assembly passes Bill to ban polygamy

GUWAHATI

The Assam Assembly on Thursday (November 27, 2025) passed the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, aimed at penalising those who enter into a second marriage without legally dissolving the first. The proposed legislation was tabled in the 126-member House on November 25.

“We will reserve the Bill for the assent of President Droupadi Murmu. I do not think the Bill will be denied approval, as the President is a woman,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, pointing out that the Bill intends to protect women and compensate victims of polygamy.

During the discussion on the Bill, he said the widespread belief that Islam inherently promotes polygamy was factually incorrect. Citing religious accounts, he said that Prophet Muhammad regulated the practice of multiple marriages and limited it to a man keeping four wives under strict conditions.

“His line of thinking was not to promote polygamy but to curb excesses,” the Chief Minister said, insisting that under Islamic law, a man cannot take a second wife without the explicit consent of the first.

“Minus the consent, a second marriage is not legally valid in Islam,” he told the House.

He referred to several Muslim-majority countries that have restricted or banned polygamy.

The Chief Minister further said the next step would be to introduce a Bill to implement the Uniform Civil Code in Assam. “If you cannot stop me from becoming the Chief Minister again (after the 2026 polls), I will bring in the Uniform Civil Code. This is my commitment to the House,” he said.

The anti-polygamy Bill prescribes punishment of up to 10 years and heavy fines for individuals who conceal a previous marriage before marrying for the second time. Repeat offenders will face double the punishment.

The Bill proposes up to two years in jail and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh for those who hide information about polygamous marriages from the police. Clerics or Qazis who solemnise such marriages may also face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to ₹1.5 lakh.

The proposed law, however, will not apply to the Sixth Schedule areas of Assam. These are the Bodoland Territorial Region and areas governed by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council. Scheduled Tribes recognised under Article 342 have also been excluded from the purview of the Bill.

The Chief Minister hoped that the autonomous regions would introduce similar legislation to ban polygamy within their respective jurisdiction. The customary laws of some tribes allow polygamy.