Assam UCC Bill 2026

Source: PIB
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Overview

1. News in Brief
2. How it helps

Why in the News?

The Assam Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, which seeks to establish a single civil legal framework for all residents on matters related to marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships.

News in Brief

• With this, Assam becomes the first state in the Northeast and the third state in the country after Uttarakhand and Gujarat to pass the UCC Bill.
• After an extensive discussion, Bill moved for its passage.
• The opposition parties demanded that the legislation be sent to a select committee for wider consultation.
• Speaker rejected it, the Opposition members trooped to the Well and kept shouting slogans till the Bill was passed.

Background of Bill

• It can be directly traced to the supreme law of the land, that is the Constitution of India.
• Article 44 of the Indian Constitution
  • The state shall endeavor to secure the citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India.”
  • Article 44 is mentioned in Part 4 of the Constitution, which is the Directive Principles of State Policy.
• DPSPs are not legally enforceable.
  • The Constitution makers mentioned the Directive Principles of State Policies,  can be implemented by the state at any given time

Salient Features of Bill

• UCC this brings a proposed legislation which will replace the entirety of religion-based personal laws.
• Excemption
  • Uniform Civil Code which will be introduced in the Assam will specifically exempt the population of scheduled tribes living in the state.
  • Scheduled tribes in order to protect their constitutional safeguards and their customary practices.

Marriage

• Relationship
  • This law enumerates 37  relationships as prohibited relationships, which include marriage.
  • Bigamy, polygamy, these are prohibited by Assam’s Uniform Civil Code,
  • Penality: Imprisonment up to 7 years because you are going to violate Section 82 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita of the year 2023.
• Registration
  • Uniform Civil Code makes it mandatory for you to register your marriage compulsively within the 60 days of the religious ceremony.
  • Failed to do so it would invite penalty of up to 10,000 rupees.

Divorce and Child Custody

• It says or it imposes a uniform guidelines that people belonging to all religions should follow when they have to end their marriage.
• On the ground for ending a marriage through divorce can be based on the fact that if your spouse indulges in cruelty, face desertion from your spouse, which means your spouse run away, and with mutual consent.
• Child Custody
  • Child is a minor below 5 years of age normally the custody of that child would go to a woman.
• Violation would attract imprisonment up to 3 years along with fines.

Succession and Inheritance.

• Uniform Civil Code introduces a gender equal framework for inheritance.
• In case a person dies without leaving a legal will, then the property of that person would pass on to the class one heirs, which would include spouse, children, and parents, irrespective of their genders.
• If a person dies with a will, which is called as a testamentary succession, then the adult of any sound mind would have the right to execute a written will and execute a witnessed will.

Need for the program :
Assam holds nearly 3 quarters of the world’s greater one horned rhinos that are lost habitat in the region.

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