Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday promised to eradicate child marriage from the state before 2026.
The Assam government has started a crackdown against child marriage in the state in two phases in 2023 and was found that many elderly men married multiple times and their wives were mostly young girls, belonging to the poor section of the society.
In the first phase in February 2023, 3,483 people were arrested and 4,515 cases were registered in February, while 915 people were arrested and 710 cases were registered in the second phase in October 2023.
The Assam Cabinet had given the nod on Friday to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 in a bid to end child marriage.
I want to make it loud and clear, till the time I am there, I will not allow you to play with the future of innocent Muslim children.
I will bring an end to this exploitative business and will not allow a single child marriage to take place in Assam: HCM Dr @himantabiswa pic.twitter.com/wTVFuXrz4u
— Chief Minister Assam (@CMOfficeAssam) February 26, 2024
Sarma posted on X, ‘This Act contained provisions allowing marriage registration even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages of 18 and 21 respectively, as required by law. This move marks another significant step towards prohibiting child marriages in Assam’.
The chief minister had said that the state government was planning to bring a Bill to end polygamy.
A report had been submitted by an expert committee on the assembly’s competence to end polygamy following which 150 suggestions were received regarding the proposed Bill to end the social menace in the state.
The chief minister said that his government was in support of the Common Civil Code (CCC) but wanted to ban polygamy immediately in the state.
Comments