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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clarified on Friday that no employee of the state government can enter into a second marriage without approval. As per Assam CM, the directions are according to the existing rules, which were not enforced earlier, but now the state government has decided to enforce them. The move is seen in line with the Assam government’s efforts at banning polygamy.
“As an Assam government employee, from the point of our service rule, he is not entitled to enter into a second marriage. However, if some religion allows you to do so, even then as per the rule, you have to get permission from the state government. It might give you or may not give you. After the death of the employee, two wives fight with each other over pension issues and we find it very difficult to settle those,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
In September this year, Himata Biswa Sarma talked about government plans to introduce a bill in the state assembly that calls for a ban on polygamy, which is the practice of marrying more than one person. The government took suggestions on the proposed move from 149 people, out of which 146 agreed with the government’s stand.
Assam government then formed a panel under the chairmanship of Devajit Lon Saikia, Advocate General of Assam to draft legislation banning polygamy. The panel is also tasked with suggesting legislation to tackle other related issues like tackling inter-religious marriage by false identity, the role of Kazis in the matter of Child Marriage, etc.
Assam’s crackdown against child marriages
Assam police have launched a crackdown against child marriages in the state with over 3,900 people arrested in the matter. In fresh rounds of arrests starting from 3rd October, more than 1,000 people have been arrested so far under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). “In a massive crackdown against child marriage, Assam Police has arrested over 800 accused persons in a special operation which began in the early hours of dawn. The number of arrests is likely to rise,” the chief minister said in a post on X.
The issue has raised political heat in the state with Congress calling it the wrong way to tackle the menace of child marriages. “We do not support the government’s modus operandi. We will gain nothing by taking action against people who were married 5-10 years ago and have children. The drive should be against people married recently,” Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed said as per The Hindu.
(With inputs from ANI)
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Updated: 27 Oct 2023, 07:12 PM IST
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