The Assam government is preparing to introduce the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, 2024, in the autumn session of the state assembly, beginning on August 22. The bill aims to ensure that all marriages and divorces within the Muslim community are legally registered, marking a significant departure from the traditional system managed by Kazis.
The decision was made during a state cabinet meeting in Guwahati, chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The proposed bill specifically targets the issue of child marriages, stipulating that no marriage under the age of 18 will be registered.
Chief Minister Sarma, in a press conference following the cabinet meeting, emphasized that the new bill will require all Muslim marriages in Assam to be registered with the government, thereby eliminating the role of Kazis in this aspect of marital proceedings. He added that the bill aims to end the practice of registering marriages of minors, which was previously permitted under certain conditions.
While the bill will not interfere with the customs and rituals observed by Muslims during marriage ceremonies, it will mandate legal registration through the Sub-Registrar’s Office.
In addition to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Bill, the cabinet also approved several other measures, including amendments to the Assam Agricultural Land (Regulation of Reclassification and Transfer for Non-Agricultural Purpose) Act, 2015, to align land use with local authority plans, and a new chapter to the Assam Land Revenue & Regulation Act, 1886, to protect historic structures over 250 years old and their surrounding areas.
The government has also moved to abolish the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act and Rules of 1935, which allowed underage marriages under specific circumstances.