The Assam cabinet has given its nod to a bill which proposes compulsory government registration of Muslim marriages and divorces.

After the cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that earlier Muslim marriages were registered by the qazi. “Today onwards Muslim marriages will be registered by the government...Minor marriages will not be registered now onwards. These are the two provisions. Basically, we want to prevent child marriage.”

The bill is likely to be introduced in the ongoing session of the Assembly.

In a post on X, Sarma said the new bill — Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, 2024 — was aimed at protecting the “dignity” of Muslim women by strengthening the institution of Muslim marriage, “authorise government machinery as the registering authority” and preventing child marriage.

The state government has vowed to end child marriage by 2026.

The “objectives” of the bill is the “prevention” of child marriage and “making” it compulsory for all married Muslim couples to get their marriages and divorces registered.

“The marriages may be solemnised as per their ritual, usage and ceremony and declared as per provision of law. This new bill is made in the line of Civil Code of Procedure for summon, notice etc. to ensure and find the truth of application of all related issues. Benefit the common people and protect them from all odds and evils besides legal recognition of their marriage and divorce,” Sarma’s post on X said.

A section of Muslim MLAs said they also oppose child marriage but a magistrate/government officer cannot replace a qazi and that the government should not interfere in religious matters.

In less than 24 hours of the cabinet approval to the compulsory registration of Muslim marriages and divorces by officials, the government on Thursday tabled
The Assam Repealing Bill, 2024, in the state assembly in order to repeal The Assam Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, and the Assam Repealing Ordinance 2024.

The Assam cabinet had in February repealed the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act, 1935.

The government had also decided to pay a one-time compensation of ₹2 lakh each to the 94 persons who used to register marriages and divorces under the now-repealed Act.

The quazis have challenged the repealing bill in the Gauhati High Court and the matter will come up for hearing next week.