Assam Cabinet Revokes Muslim Marriages Act

In a significant move aimed at preventing child marriage in the state, the Assam Cabinet announced the abolition of the ‘Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed on X that this decision represents a major stride towards eradicating child marriages in Assam.

The Assam CM stated, “On February 23, the Assam cabinet took a significant step to repeal the age-old Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act. This act contained provisions allowing marriage registration even if the bride and groom had not yet reached the legal ages of 18 and 21, as mandated by law. This action marks another substantial step towards ending child marriages in Assam.”

With the repeal of this law, the state government detailed that “District Commissioners and District Registrars will be empowered to take custody of registration records currently held by 94 Muslim Marriage Registrars upon the repeal of the legislation, under the overall supervision, guidance, and control of the Inspector General of Registration.”

Muslim Marriage Registrars are set to receive a one-time compensation of Rs 2 lakh for their rehabilitation following the Act’s repeal.

Additionally, shedding light on the reasoning behind repealing the law, the Assam Government highlighted its status as an outdated pre-Independence Act from the British era for the then Province of Assam.

“Under the Act, registration of marriages and divorces is not compulsory, and the registration system is informal, allowing for potential non-compliance with existing norms. The Act’s provisions also allow for the registration of marriages of individuals below 21 years (for males) and 18 years (for females), with little monitoring for its implementation,” explained the state government.

This move by the Assam Cabinet underscores a concerted effort to tackle the issue of child marriage, aiming to create a more stringent and regulated framework for marriage registration in the state.