Expert committee submits report
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the State Government will enact a law against polygamy by this financial year. He also said the State Government is competent to enact a law against polygamy.
The State Government did form an expert committee on the legislative competence of the State Legislature to pass a law to end polygamy, with Justice (retd) Rumi Kumari Phukan as the chairperson, Advocate General Debajit Saikia, Senior Additional Advocate General Nalin Kohli, and senior advocate of Gauhati High Court Nekibur Zaman as members. The committee submitted its report to the Chief Minister this afternoon.
When asked about the findings of the report by the media in his Independence Day briefing this afternoon, the Chief Minister said, “We had a doubt if the State Government could enact such an Act. The expert committee filed its report today and said that the state has the right to enact such a law. The expert committee said that only the President of India can give her assent to such an Act, not the State Governor.”
The Chief Minister further said, “The expert committee has also suggested the age of marriage. As per the Muslim Marriage Law, there is no age bar for marriage. The Muslim Marriage Act of 1936 in Assam also does not have an age bar for marriage. Thus, this Act contradicts the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. If we incorporate the relevant provisions of the POCSO Act into the proposed Act, we can do away with this contradiction.”
When asked if the Government will introduce a bill on polygamy in the next Assembly session, he said, “The session in September will be a three-or four-day affair. We are not sure if we will introduce the bill in September or in the Budget session. The State Assembly has not witnessed any such law before. We need to give the legislators time. I have also not gone through the report that I received a few hours ago. We will discuss the issue in detail in the Cabinet meeting. However, it is final, and the law will definitely come into effect this financial year. If the UCC (Uniform Civil Code) becomes a reality in the meantime, the situation may be different.”
When asked if the government will seek the opinions of various organisations and parties on the proposed act against polygamy, the Chief Minister said, “I don’t feel the need for the opinions of various organisations of the state on this issue. This is because all, including Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists, welcomed the move when we announced the proposal to pass such a law. If the Cabinet feels so, we may take the opinions of various stakeholders into account. I feel those who support the proposed law need not give suggestions, but if anybody has objections, they can express their opinions. I don’t think that anybody will oppose such a law.”
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