GUWAHATI, Nov 10: The Assam government has taken a decisive step toward prohibiting polygamy in the state, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announcing that the ‘Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025’ will be introduced in the upcoming Assembly session on November 25. The decision was approved during a cabinet meeting held on Sunday.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Chief Minister Sarma said the bill aims to legally ban polygamy while ensuring justice and financial support for women who have suffered due to such practices.
“Polygamy is prohibited in respect of any person who shall not marry if he has a living spouse or is not legally separated from the other spouse by following due procedure of law or is a party to a marriage which is not yet dissolved or annulled by a decree of divorce,” Sarma stated.
The bill also proposes a provision for rigorous imprisonment of up to seven years for anyone found guilty of entering into multiple marriages while their previous marriage remains legally valid.
In addition to criminal penalties, the government will establish a special fund to compensate women victims of polygamy, ensuring that they do not face economic or social hardships following the implementation of the new law.
“The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, further seeks to provide compensation to the victim women as they have to suffer immense pain and hardship due to polygamous marriage. To save the society from the scourge of such practices, this Bill has been framed with the avowed objective to streamline the society,” the Chief Minister added.
