Assam Cabinet Introduces New Rules for Muslim Marriage Registration and Tribal Land Protection

On Wednesday, the Assam cabinet adopted three new draft rules governing Muslim marriage and divorce registration, as well as cultural site and tribal land protection. The new laws will be presented during the autumn session of the state assembly, which begins on Thursday.

According to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the previous law governing Muslim marriages and weddings, the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act, of 1935, will be repealed and replaced by the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriage and Divorce Bill, 2024, which deprives community qazis of the authority to register marriages.
The previous legislation allowed for the voluntary registration of Muslim weddings and divorces, as well as the government issuing a license to a Muslim individual authorizing him to register Muslim marriages and divorces.

The cabinet agreed in February of this year to repeal the existing statute.
"Earlier, Qazis (experts on Muslim scriptures) registered Muslim weddings and divorces. With the implementation of the new legislation, these will need to be registered by government officials. The previous measure also included a provision for registering weddings between minors, which will be repealed once the new legislation is passed. This is an attempt to end
child marriages in the state" Sarma stated.

Before Independence, the law provided that if the bride or groom were minors, their lawful guardians could apply for marriage registration. The new law, the details of which will be made accessible after it is submitted in the assembly, will require all Muslims to register their marriages and divorces.
The Chief Minister has stated that the new law will not affect Muslim marriages or divorces. He noted that the new laws will merely affect the designation of the person filing the marriage or divorce and will prevent the registration of child marriages.

Md Aminal Islam, an All India United Democratic Front MLA, responded to the development by saying that the new law is another attempt by the BJP-led government to 'divert public attention from other important issues,'The Chief Minister is attempting to demonstrate that his government is attempting to implement a uniform civil code.

Instead of, enacting a new law, the government might have amended the previous statute that permitted the registration of child marriages. We
have no objections to making marriage and divorce registration mandatory. The specific details of the new Bill will be revealed only after it is submitted to the assembly. Our party will have to see its contents before deciding whether or not to oppose it.“

Author: Arya Kadam 
News Writer

Aarya is a final-year BBA student and a creative writer with a passion for current affairs and legal judgments.