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The announcement comes days after the BJP-led NDA returned to power in Assam with a sweeping mandate, winning 102 out of 126 Assembly seats.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (File photo)
Assam Cabinet Meeting: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that the state government will introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the Assembly on May 26, the last day of the ongoing session.
While speaking to reporters, Sarma said that the Assam Cabinet has approved the draft of the proposed legislation, which will deal with issues such as marriage, divorce, live-in relationships and compulsory registration of marriages.
“UCC (Uniform Civil Code) is a part of our manifesto. We will try to implement every word we have mentioned in our manifesto, including UCC,” he said as quoted by news agency PTI.
#WATCH | Guwahati | Assam CM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma says, “UCC (Uniform Civil Code) is a part of our manifesto. We will try to implement every word we have mentioned in our manifesto, including UCC.” pic.twitter.com/RmE1fFUYfh— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2026
The Chief Minister said the proposed law would largely follow frameworks adopted in states such as Uttarakhand and Goa, but clarified that Assam’s religious traditions, rituals and customs would remain outside the ambit of the law. Tribal communities in the state will also be exempted from the UCC.
According to the government, the proposed UCC is expected to include provisions such as a ban on polygamy, equal inheritance rights for daughters, regulations governing live-in relationships and compulsory registration of marriages.
Alongside the UCC announcement, the Assam Cabinet also unveiled a series of austerity and administrative discipline measures aimed at reducing government expenditure.
Chief Minister Sarma announced that the state government will not purchase any new vehicles for the next six months and no government official will undertake foreign trips during this period, even at personal expense. Important foreign visits by officials will require prior approval from the Chief Minister.
The government also decided to reduce the size of official convoys, including that of the Governor, and cut fuel expenditure by 20 per cent. Additionally, the state will not purchase any foreign-made items for the next six months.
As part of the cost-cutting measures, the government said no physical seminars or workshops would be conducted during the six-month period. The Cabinet also decided to promote the use of electric vehicles by hiring EVs and scrapping old government vehicles.
The announcement comes days after the BJP-led NDA returned to power in Assam with a sweeping mandate, winning 102 out of 126 Assembly seats. Sarma, who took oath for a second consecutive term as Chief Minister on Tuesday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders, reiterated that implementing the UCC was part of the BJP’s election promises.
The move comes as part of the BJP-led government’s commitment to implement the UCC, a long-standing ideological and legislative promise in its election manifesto.
The Uniform Civil Code refers to a proposal to replace personal laws based on religion with a common set of civil laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption for all citizens. It is aimed at ensuring uniformity in legal rights and obligations across communities, though it remains a politically sensitive issue in India.
Only a few states, including Uttarakhand, have so far implemented the UCC framework, while others like Gujarat have also moved in that direction.
(With inputs from agencies)
Guwahati [Gauhati]India, India
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