7 Years Jail, Fine Up to ₹1.50 Lakh: Bill Against Polygamy Passed in Assam
Guwahati (The Uttam Hindu): The Assam Assembly has passed a historic and strict law to ban polygamy in the state. The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill–2025 was approved after debate and discussion in the House. Once implemented, polygamy will be considered a criminal offence in the state. A person found guilty can face up to seven years of imprisonment, ₹1.40 lakh as compensation, and up to ten years in jail if the second marriage was done by hiding the first marriage.
Before the bill was passed, the Assembly held a detailed discussion. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that if he returns to power, his government will introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the very first session. He added that this anti-polygamy law is the first step towards implementing UCC in Assam.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Sarma, who also handles the Home and Political Affairs Department, introduced the bill in the Assembly. The bill declares polygamy a punishable offence, with jail terms of up to seven years. However, Scheduled Tribes (ST) and areas under the Sixth Schedule have been exempted from its provisions. The bill was introduced in the absence of legislators from Congress, CPI(M), and Raijor Dal, who had walked out of the House after a discussion on singer Zubeen Garg’s death.
According to the “Statement of Objects and Reasons,” the bill aims to prohibit and eliminate the practice of polygamy and multiple marriages in the state. It clarifies that the law will not apply to Sixth Schedule regions or to members of any Scheduled Tribe.
The bill defines “polygamy” as a marriage in which one of the partners is already legally married, has a living spouse, or has not obtained a legal divorce or annulment. The bill proposes that polygamy be treated as a punishable offence with imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine. It also specifies that hiding an existing marriage and entering into another marriage can result in 10 years of imprisonment and a fine.