Assam Repeals 1935 Muslim Marriages Act to Combat Child Marriage

NCPCR Chairman Priyank Kanoongo supported Assam's decision to repeal the 1935 Muslim Marriages Act, aiming to curb child marriages. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the upcoming legislation for Muslim marriage registration, fostering equality and justice for children across all religions.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson, Priyank Kanoongo, has commended Assam's bold move to abolish the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act of 1935. He stressed that child exploitation should not be condoned, regardless of religious backgrounds.

Kanoongo remarked, "This is a welcome step. I congratulate the Government of Assam and the children of Assam. We should not accept the exploitation of children irrespective of their religion." On Thursday, the Assam government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma decided to repeal the old act to prevent child marriages and ensure uniformity in marital registrations.

Sharing the rationale behind the decision, CM Sarma stated, "We have taken a significant step to ensure justice for our daughters and sisters by putting additional safeguards against child marriage. In the meeting of the #AssamCabinet today, we decided to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act and Rules 1935 through the Assam Repealing Bill 2024." He added that the bill would be discussed in the upcoming monsoon session of the Assam Legislative Assembly. The State Cabinet also mandated the introduction of appropriate legislation for the registration of Muslim marriages at the next assembly session.