Guwahati: The Assam Assembly on Thursday passed the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, with stringent penalty for those who enter into a second marriage without legally dissolving the first.
The Bill has laid out up to seven years’ imprisonment for individuals indulging in polygamous marriages, and a harsher penalty of up to ten years for those who conceal information about an existing spouse at the time of a subsequent marriage.
The Bill has proposed up to two years in jail and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh for those who hide information about polygamous marriages from the police. Clerics or Qazis who solemnise such marriages may also face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 1.5 lakh.
The proposed law, however, won’t apply to the Sixth Schedule areas of Assam — Bodoland Territorial Region and areas governed by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council. Scheduled Tribes recognised under Article 342 have also been excluded from the purview of the Bill.
“We will reserve the Bill for the assent of President Droupadi Murmu. I do not think the Bill will be denied approval, as the President is a woman,” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, stressing that the Bill intends to protect women and compensate victims of polygamy.
During discussion on the Bill, which was tabled in the 126-member House on November 25, the Assam CM said that the legislation was “not against Islam” and any “true Islamic people will welcome this.”
Biswa Sarma said the widespread belief that Islam inherently promotes polygamy was factually incorrect. He cited religious accounts to make the point that Prophet Muhammad regulated the practice of multiple marriages and limited it to a man keeping four wives under strict conditions.
“His line of thinking was not to promote polygamy but to curb excesses,” the CM said, adding that under Islamic law, a man cannot take a second wife without the explicit consent of the first.
“Minus the consent, a second marriage is not legally valid in Islam,” Biswa Sarma told the House, referring to several Muslim-majority countries which have restricted or banned polygamy.
The Chief Minister further said the next step would be to introduce a Bill to implement the Uniform Civil Code in Assam. “If you cannot stop me from becoming the Chief Minister again (after the 2026 polls), I will bring in the Uniform Civil Code. This is my commitment to the House,” he said.
The anti-polygamy Bill prescribes punishment of up to 10 years and heavy fines for individuals who conceal a previous marriage before marrying for the second time. Repeat offenders will face double the punishment.
The Bill proposes up to two years in jail and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh for those who hide information about polygamous marriages from the police. Clerics or Qazis who solemnise such marriages may also face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to ₹1.5 lakh.
The proposed law, however, will not apply to the Sixth Schedule areas of Assam. These are the Bodoland Territorial Region and areas governed by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council. Scheduled Tribes recognised under Article 342 have also been excluded from the purview of the Bill.
