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SSC Foundation Arjuna - 25 Offline Cum Online Batch Lucknow Branch
26 May, 2026
Assam Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026
Fri 29 May, 2026
Context :
• The Assam Legislative Assembly passed the Assam Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026.
Key Highlights :
• The bill seeks to establish a uniform legal framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance and live-in relationships irrespective of religion.
• After Uttarakhand (the first state to implement UCC) and Gujarat, Assam has become the third state in India and the first state in Northeast India to pass such a civil law.
• Goa also follows a Uniform Civil Code inherited from the Portuguese colonial period.
Major Provisions of the Bill :
| Area | Provision Details |
| Marriage Age | The minimum marriage age has been fixed at 21 years for men and 18 years for women. |
| Ban on | Polygamy Polygamy and bigamy have been completely prohibited. Violation may attract imprisonment up to 7 years under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Existing marriages will remain protected. |
| Mandatory Registration | Registration of all marriages and divorces within 60 days before the Sub-Registrar has been made compulsory. |
| Uniform Divorce Rules | Common grounds for divorce have been prescribed for all religions. No marriage can be dissolved without a court order. Practices such as triple talaq, nikah halala and iddat have been prohibited. |
| Live-in Relationships | Registration of live-in couples within 30 days has been made mandatory. Non-compliance may lead to imprisonment up to 3 months or a fine of ₹10,000. Children born from such relationships will be considered fully legitimate. |
| Inheritance Rights | Equal inheritance rights have been granted to daughters, wives and parents to remove gender inequality. |
- Exemption to Scheduled Tribes (STs): Considering Assam’s unique demography, Scheduled Tribes (both hill and plain tribes) have been kept completely outside the purview of this law. Their traditional customs and cultural practices have been protected under it.
Constitutional and Historical Background :
- Article 44: It is included under Part IV of the Constitution as a Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP), which directs the State to endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code throughout India.
- Concurrent List: Personal laws related to marriage, divorce and inheritance fall under Entry 5 of the Concurrent List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. Therefore, both the Centre and States can legislate on these matters.
- Repeal of Previous Law: Through this bill, the old Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act has been completely repealed.
Uniform Civil Code (UCC) :
- Article 44: Under Part IV of the Constitution (Directive Principles of State Policy - DPSP), it is clearly mentioned that “The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India.”
- Seventh Schedule: Personal laws fall under Entry 5 of the Concurrent List, meaning both Parliament and State Legislatures can make laws on the subject.
Important Judicial Decisions :
- Shah Bano Case (1985): The Supreme Court upheld the right of a divorced Muslim woman to maintenance under Section 125 of the CrPC and stated that a Uniform Civil Code should be implemented in the country.
- Sarla Mudgal Case (1995): The Court clarified that conversion to Islam solely for contracting a second marriage is illegal and reiterated the need for UCC for national integration.
- Shayara Bano Case (2017): In this landmark judgment, the Supreme Court declared the practice of triple talaq (Talaq-e-Biddat) unconstitutional and illegal.