Assam: Uniform Civil Code Bill Has Been Successfully Passed.

Guwahati; May 2026: A Few While Ago, The Assam Legislative Assembly today (Wednesday – 27th May 2026) has passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026 after a day-long and heated debate marked by strong objections from the Opposition, which demanded that the proposed legislation be referred to a select committee for wider consultations. However, the ruling NDA Government had Three-Fourth Majority in the Assembly to pass the requisite bill without any legislative hindrance.

With the passage of the Bill, Assam became the third state in the country after Uttarakhand and Gujarat to enact a Uniform Civil Code law. Goa already follows a common civil law system inherited from the Portuguese colonial period.

The Bill seeks to establish a common legal framework governing matters such as marriage, divorce, succession, inheritance and live-in relationships irrespective of religion. It also proposes to ban polygamy and makes registration of live-in relationships mandatory.

Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass rejected the Opposition’s demand to send the Bill to a select committee, following which Congress and other Opposition MLAs entered the Well of the House and continued sloganeering during the proceedings.

Despite the protest, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma formally moved the Bill for passage. The Speaker then put the Bill to voice vote amid loud chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Jai Shree Ram” from members of the treasury benches. “I declare that the Bill is passed”, the Speaker announced, triggering loud applause from ruling party legislators.

The proposed legislation contains several stringent provisions, including a ‘07-Year’ imprisonment for offences related to bigamy or polygamy. It also prescribes up to ’03-months’ imprisonment for failure to register a live-in relationship within the stipulated period. However, the Bill exempts Scheduled Tribe communities residing in Assam from its ambit.

The government maintained during the debate that tribal communities already follow distinct customary laws and social systems protected under constitutional provisions, including the Sixth Schedule.

The passage of the Bill followed extensive discussions in the Assembly over the last two days, with the ruling BJP and its allies describing the legislation as a progressive reform aimed at ensuring gender justice, women’s rights and social equality. Opposition parties, including the Congress and Raijor Dal, alleged that the Bill infringes on personal liberty and privacy, especially concerning provisions related to live-in relationships.

Chief Minister Sarma, while defending the Bill during the debate, argued that the UCC was intended to ensure equality and legal protection for women and children. He maintained that the law was not targeted against any particular religion and said that issues such as polygamy, inheritance and maintenance required a uniform legal framework.

Opposition members, however, questioned the need for the legislation, arguing that several issues mentioned in the Bill were already addressed under existing laws. They also criticised the government for allegedly failing to hold wider consultations with religious bodies, civil society groups and the public before introducing the legislation. The UCC Bill is expected to come into effect after receiving the assent of the Governor.

Team Maverick.