UCC bill gets passage in house
Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The Assam Assembly passed the historic UCC (Uniform Civil Code) Bill, 2026, today. This newly enacted act will protect women from polygamy and love jihad, making them punishable offences, besides protecting women’s rights in case of inheritance, divorce, and desertion and fixing accountability in live-in relationships.
Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The UCC will ensure that every citizen, irrespective of their religion, will have equal standing before the law and not be dependent on the whims and fancies of religious leaders in matters of marriage, divorce and inheritance.”
After Gujarat and Uttarakhand, Assam is the third state in the country to enact the UCC Act. The UCC Act aims to consolidate and simplify laws governing marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships. By creating a uniform system the UCC ensures legal clarity and protects the fundamental rights of every individual.
Responding to the Congress’ opposition to the UCC, the Chief Minister said, “The UCC is not against any particular religious community. It’s for all, barring the tribal communities in the state. In their opposition to the UCC in the House, the Congress members cited only examples from the Quran and the Shariat, not from any other scriptures. With this attitude, the Congress, once a secular party, has become a platform for a particular religious community now. If the Muslim League had its members in this House, they would have put forth the same arguments as the Congress stated today. The Congress of Gandhi-Nehru surrendered before a communal force. The Congress members in this House may belong to the Islamic faith. However, in the state assembly, they represent people belonging to all castes and communities, not Islam only. What they argued in the House today has made it crystal clear that they are for a particular religion only, not for people belonging to any other communities.”
The Chief Minister said, “The Indian National Congress started a move to bring the UCC into the country way back in 1925. The demand for the UCC was raised in 1937 and 1961 as well. This is not all. Even the Constitution Committee was also in favour of bringing the UCC into the country, albeit when the time is ripe.
On keeping the tribal communities outside the UCC bracket, the Chief Minister said, “They have their own customary laws from time immemorial. Such laws lead their social life. They don’t recognize polygamy. The Hindus and the Muslims have much to learn from the customary laws of the tribal communities. In essence, they have been following their ‘UCC’ in the form of their customary laws from long ago.”
The Chief Minister said, “What the government wants is women’s security through the UCC.” The government wants the registration of all marriages and divorces only through courts; abolishing polygamy in any form; introducing fixed minimum marital ages; and legalising the equitable distribution of the property of a deceased husband among his wife and parents. The government wants to give the practice of live-in relationships a legal coverage. The Act has punitive provisions for violation of the UCC.”