Guwahati: BJP-led Assam The government has decided to set up an expert committee to examine whether polygamy can be banned in the state by a law meant to empower women as it enters its third year from Thursday.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, but on the eve On completing his second year in office, he said on Tuesday that the practice of polygamy, both formal and informal, was found to be more prevalent during the crackdown on child marriage since last January.
Polygamy in India is generally prohibited in all religious communities except the Muslim community. The practice of polygamy is an offense punishable under sections 494 and 495 of the Indian Penal Code, except in the Muslim community, where section 2 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 governs the law relating to marriage which allows it.
Apart from this, India is also a signatory to various international conventions and agreements. United Nations Committee on Civil and Political Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women which notes that polygamy violates the dignity of women and should be abolished wherever it exists.
“The Assam government has decided to form an expert committee to examine whether the state legislature has the right to prohibit polygamy in the state. The Committee will examine the provisions of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Act, 1937 read with Article 25 of the Constitution of India with regard to the Directive Principles of State Policy for Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
“We are not going towards Uniform Civil Code (UCC) which requires a national consensus and the Center will take the initiative on that. But in Assam, as a constituent of the UCC, we want to declare polygamy unconstitutional and illegal through a state act.
“I have studied the last seven days and found that polygamy is not an obligatory practice of Islamic law. We see that Prophet Mohammad also preferred monogamy.’
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, but on the eve On completing his second year in office, he said on Tuesday that the practice of polygamy, both formal and informal, was found to be more prevalent during the crackdown on child marriage since last January.
Polygamy in India is generally prohibited in all religious communities except the Muslim community. The practice of polygamy is an offense punishable under sections 494 and 495 of the Indian Penal Code, except in the Muslim community, where section 2 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 governs the law relating to marriage which allows it.
Apart from this, India is also a signatory to various international conventions and agreements. United Nations Committee on Civil and Political Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women which notes that polygamy violates the dignity of women and should be abolished wherever it exists.
“The Assam government has decided to form an expert committee to examine whether the state legislature has the right to prohibit polygamy in the state. The Committee will examine the provisions of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Act, 1937 read with Article 25 of the Constitution of India with regard to the Directive Principles of State Policy for Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
“We are not going towards Uniform Civil Code (UCC) which requires a national consensus and the Center will take the initiative on that. But in Assam, as a constituent of the UCC, we want to declare polygamy unconstitutional and illegal through a state act.
“I have studied the last seven days and found that polygamy is not an obligatory practice of Islamic law. We see that Prophet Mohammad also preferred monogamy.’