Assam Cabinet Approves Law to Ban Polygamy, New Startup Policy

• By Thetripurapost Desk, Guwahati
• Nov 09, 2025
• 531

The Assam cabinet on Sunday approved a landmark bill seeking to ban polygamy in the state. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Bill will be tabled in the upcoming Assembly session later this month.

“The cabinet has approved a Bill to prevent polygamy in Assam. Anyone found guilty of indulging in polygamy will face up to seven years in prison. This offence has been made non-cognizable, and bail will not be granted immediately,” Sarma said after the cabinet meeting in Guwahati.

The chief minister added that the new legislation will include provisions for compensating the affected wife. “Since the man will be imprisoned, a separate fund will be created to ensure compensation to the wife, depending on the circumstances,” he explained.

However, the law will not apply to tribal communities in the state and areas under the Sixth Schedule — including the hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao, as well as the Bodo Territorial Region.

In the same meeting, the cabinet also approved a new Startup and Innovation Policy to boost entrepreneurship. Under the new scheme, financial support ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹10 crore will be provided for ideation, prototype development, seed funding, and venture capital initiatives.

The cabinet also announced a ₹25 lakh award for Uma Chetry, a member of the Indian women’s cricket team that recently won the ICC World Cup, recognizing her achievement as a source of pride for Assam.