The Assam government is set to introduce the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, 2024, during the upcoming state assembly session starting August 22. This landmark legislation will require mandatory government registration of marriages and divorces within the Muslim community, a significant shift from the current system managed by Kazis. The decision was finalised during a state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Government to oversee Muslim marriage registration
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that under the new bill, the responsibility for registering Muslim marriages and divorces will shift from Kazis to government-appointed Sub Registrars. The bill aims to combat child marriage by enforcing a minimum age of 18 for marriage registrations. The move is part of a broader effort to regulate marriage practices and ensure legal oversight within the community.
"Earlier, the Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration was conducted by the Kazis. This new bill will ensure that Muslim marriage registration will be conducted by the government, not Kazi. There will be no marriage registration below 18 years. The registration authority will be the Sub Registrar of Assam government," Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Protection of heritage sites and new security clearance law
The state government also plans to introduce additional regulations concerning heritage sites and educational institutions. A 5-km radius around heritage structures like temples or Namghars that are at least 250 years old will be declared protected areas. Land transactions within these zones will be restricted to families residing there for at least three generations.
Additionally, the government will require compulsory security clearance for opening new universities and medical institutions. This move follows concerns over institutions from Kerala seeking to establish universities in Muslim-majority areas of Assam without adequate background checks. The Chief Minister emphasised that the new security clearance provision will address these concerns and is expected to be implemented within the next few months.
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