Assam UCC Will Ensure Equal Rights, Tribal Communities Exempted: Himanta Biswa Sarma
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Guwahati
- May 15, 2026
- 43
Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Assam aims to establish equal implementation of laws for all citizens, with particular focus on safeguarding the rights of women and children.
The Chief Minister clarified that tribal and indigenous communities of the state would remain outside the scope of the proposed law in order to preserve their customs, traditions and cultural practices.
In a post shared on X, Sarma stated that the proposed UCC would guarantee equal legal rights for every citizen and ensure fair treatment under the law, especially for women and children.
He further said that the Janjatiya communities of Assam would not come under the ambit of the UCC so that their traditional social systems and customs remain protected.
Earlier this week, the first cabinet meeting of the newly formed state government approved the implementation of the UCC in Assam, while deciding to exempt tribal groups from its provisions.
Sharing details of the proposed legislation on social media, the Chief Minister said the concept of the UCC is based on “one state, one law”, under which a common legal framework would govern marriage, divorce and inheritance matters.
According to the proposed provisions, the legal age for marriage would be fixed at 18 years for women and 21 years for men. It would also make registration and reporting of marriages and live-in relationships mandatory within 60 days.
Sarma reiterated that Scheduled Tribe and Adivasi communities would be completely exempted from the law to protect their unique traditions and customs.
Highlighting the objective of ensuring justice for all citizens, he said the UCC would provide equal inheritance rights to spouses, children and parents.
The proposed law would also include clear maintenance rights for women in both marriages and live-in relationships. In addition, all children would receive guaranteed legal legitimacy, while custody of children below five years of age would primarily remain with the mother.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that strict punishment provisions would be included for furnishing false information in order to maintain the integrity of legal records.
Sarma had earlier announced that the draft of the UCC Bill would be introduced in the Assam Assembly on May 26.
The proposed Uniform Civil Code in Assam is expected to mainly address issues related to minimum marriage age, ban on polygamy, equal property rights for daughters and regulations concerning live-in relationships.
The legislation will also include provisions related to succession, marriage, divorce, live-in relationships and compulsory registration of marriages and divorces.