Assam’s 16th Assembly Session Begins Today; CM Unveils Key Agenda.

Guwahati; May 2026: Assam’s 16th Assembly session is set to begin today (May 21st 2026) with the election of a new Speaker and the proposed introduction of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill expected to dominate proceedings during the 04 days sitting.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, yesterday (Wednesday – 20th May) has outlined the schedule of the session, which will continue till May 26, excluding Saturday and Sunday. He said the government is prepared to move ahead with key legislative business, including the much-debated Uniform Civil Code Bill. “Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Assembly session and the new Speaker of the House will be elected first. Following that, we will move ahead with important legislative matters, including the Uniform Civil Code Bill”, CM Sarma told reporters.

While reiterating the BJP-led government’s commitment in implementing the UCC, the Chief Minister said the legislation was part of the promises made before the Assembly elections and would now be formally introduced in the House. “We had made a commitment earlier that once we returned to power, we would bring the Uniform Civil Code in the first Assembly session. We are now moving ahead in that direction and the Bill will be introduced during this session”, he said.

The proposed legislation is expected to trigger intense debate both inside and outside the Assembly. While the government has maintained that the UCC aims to ensure equal civil laws for all citizens irrespective of religion, Opposition parties and several social organisations have expressed concerns over its possible impact on personal laws, customs and community-specific practices. However, Sarma refrained from revealing details of the proposed legislation, with the state government yet to release the draft Bill publicly.

The Chief Minister also expressed confidence about the Bill’s passage, signalling that the government was politically prepared for one of the most closely-watched legislative exercises in recent years. Apart from the UCC Bill, the Assembly session is also expected to provide clarity on a possible expansion of the state cabinet. Hinting at a reshuffle and induction of new ministers, Sarma said the exercise is likely to take place in the first week of June after the conclusion of the session. “Regarding cabinet expansion, it is likely to happen in the first week of June after the Assembly session. The process will happen gradually”, he said. The upcoming Assembly session assumes significance as it marks the first major legislative sitting after the BJP-led alliance returned to power in Assam.

Meanwhile, in view of the commencement of the 16th Assembly Session, the State Cabinet yesterday (May 20th) have approved the Assam State Data Policy (ASDP), 2026, aimed at strengthening governance and improving service delivery across the state.

Addressing the press after the meeting, Cabinet minister Atul Bora said the policy mandates systematic data sharing across all government departments. “The State Cabinet has approved the notification and implementation of ASDP 2026, superseding the Assam State Data Policy, 2022. The Assam State Data Policy (SDP) 2026 establishes the Centre for Data Management (CDM) as the nodal agency to implement a unified, state-wide data repository for analytics and AI”, Bora said.

The interim Parliamentary Affairs Minister said the primary objective of the policy is to operationalise a state data catalogue within the next three years, “enabling access to priority datasets for government departments as well as citizens”. The initiative is expected to support innovation, evidence-based decision-making and citizen-centric governance, he added. The development comes amid the government’s broader push towards integrating AI into governance and public administration.

At the bureaucratic level, the process of preparing a strategic roadmap for AI integration across government departments has already commenced. Earlier this week, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota chaired a meeting of the Steering Committee on AI Adoption and Implementation to review progress on the state’s digital governance initiatives.

Ravi Kota further has asserted, “Reviewed the progress made so far, including the AI inventory exercise which has identified 343 project ideas across more than 50 departments, organised into 11 thematic clusters”. The meeting also discussed the proposed five-layer architecture for AI adoption and emphasised accelerating initiatives related to AI-enabled citizen services, grievance redressal systems and data governance.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has repeatedly advocated the adoption of emerging technologies such as AI and Machine Learning (ML), while encouraging students in colleges and universities to engage with innovation-driven sectors and technological advancements. In February 2026, Sarma had announced plans to introduce AI-based systems across government departments to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability, while strengthening project monitoring and implementation mechanisms.

Team Maverick.