Assam cabinet gives nod to UCC implementation

Tribals to be outside code ambit, says CM Sarma

Guwahati: The Assam cabinet on Wednesday approved the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state, but the tribal population will be kept outside its purview, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The draft of the UCC Bill will be laid before the assembly on May 26, the chief minister said at a press conference here after chairing the first cabinet meeting of his second term as the head of the government.

The UCC will primarily cover the four subjects — minimum age of marriage, prohibition of polygamy, equal rights for daughters in parents’ property and matters relating to live-in relationships.

“This is a major decision taken in the first cabinet meeting and aligns with the commitment we made during the elections,” the CM said. Sarma said Uttarakhand, Goa and Gujarat have already implemented the UCC, but his government has customised it for the requirements of Assam.

‘’We have completely exempted the tribal population from the purview of UCC. All rituals, traditions and customs practised by the people of Assam outside the scope of UCC,’’ he said.

The UCC will deal with succession, marriage, live-in relationships and compulsory registration of marriage and divorce, he added.

It will create a uniform set of laws for all residents – excluding Scheduled Tribes and Adivasi communities – and will replace various religion-based personal laws with a common legal framework to ensure equality and transparency, define core legal terms and recognise various customs and modern family structures, Sarma said.

The CM also stated that religious practices and rituals related to marriages will not fall within the purview of the UCC.

The cabinet also adopted several austerity measures in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for fuel conservation amid the prevailing West Asia crisis.

The measures include downsizing convoys of the governor, CM, ministers and government officials, reduction of government fuel consumption by 20 per cent and a six-month ban on procuring new cars or foreign items by the government.

The other austerity measures include no official or private foreign trips by ministers and officials except in the case of medical emergencies, no physical meetings or seminars for six months.

The government will rent only electric vehicles, if required, and efforts to scrap 15-20-year-old vehicles will be expedited.

The cabinet also adopted the BJP’s election manifesto as the guiding principle of governance for the next five years and will form the base of policy formulation in the state, Sarma said.