The Assam government on Monday (May 25, 2026) tabled a Bill on the Uniform Civil Code, seeking to ban polygamy and make registration of live-in relationships compulsory.
Assam Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora introduced the Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026, in the 126-member Assembly on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The Bill has been scheduled for discussion on May 27.
The Opposition parties, including Congress, Raijor Dal and Trinamool Congress, opposed the move and demanded wider consultation with all the stakeholders before its introduction.
“The Bill aims to consolidate and simplify laws governing marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships,” Mr. Sarma said in the ‘Statement of Object and Reasons’ in the Bill.
For marriage, the Bill sets 21 years and 18 years as minimum ages for men and women respectively, and prohibits polygamy, he added.
“For the first time, Bill provides a legal framework for live-in relationships. By requiring registration, the law ensures that the rights of partners— and any children born from such unions— are formally recognised and protected,” the CM said in the Bill.
If the Bill is passed, Assam will become the third State in the country to pass a UCC Bill, following Uttarakhand, and Gujarat. Uttarakhand introduced the UCC Bill in 2024, becoming the first State in India to bring in such a law and Gujarat passed the Bill in March of this year.
