UCC to ensure justice for every citizen, says Assam CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will ensure equal application of law for all citizens, with special emphasis on the rights of women and children. He asserted that tribal communities will be kept out of the purview of the UCC to protect their traditions and customs.

“The Uniform Civil Code in Assam will ensure equal application of the rule of law for everyone and guarantee fair rights to all, especially women and children,” Sarma said in a post on X. “The Janjatiya Samaj of Assam will not be under the purview of #UCCAssam to protect their customs and traditions,” he added, referring to the tribal communities. The first Cabinet meeting of the new Government on Wednesday had approved the implementation of the UCC in the state, with tribals to be kept outside its purview, Sarma had said after the decision.

Sharing two slides on social media on the proposed UCC’s objectives, the CM said it is about “one state, one law”, which will ensure a single legal system for marriage, divorce and succession.

Legal marriageable age will be fixed at 18 years for women and 21 years for men, with mandatory reporting of all marriages and live-in relationships within 60 days. “ST and Adivasi communities fully exempted to preserve customs,” Sarma added.

Maintaining that the UCC is to ensure “justice for every citizen”, Sarma said it will entail that spouses, children and parents share equal inheritance.

The UCC will have explicit maintenance rights for women in marriages and live-in relationships, and guaranteed legitimacy for all children and mother-focused custody for kids under the age of five years.

There will be provision for strict penalties for false statements to ensure legal records integrity, Sarma added.

The draft of the UCC Bill will be laid in the Assembly on May 26, Sarma said on Wednesday.

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.

It will also deal with succession, marriage, live-in relationships and compulsory registration of marriage and divorce, he had added.