GUWAHATI: An expert committee, appointed by the government to study the legislative competence of the state legislature to enact a law banning polygamy, submitted its comprehensive report to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday.
The expert committee had a stipulated timeframe of three months to conduct its study and submit the report. Now, as the report has been presented to the Chief Minister, the government is poised to deliberate on the committee’s findings and move forward with necessary legislative to bring about the ban on polygamy in Assam. The government plans to introduce the legislation during the next assembly session.
Taking to a popular micro-blogging website, Chief Minister Sarma expressed his commitment to women’s empowerment and creating a positive ecosystem, “Today, the Expert Committee, formed to examine the legislative competence of the State Legislature to enact a law to end polygamy in Assam, submitted its report. Assam is now closer to creating a positive ecosystem for women’s empowerment irrespective of caste, creed, or religion,” he wrote.
The expert committee was chaired by Justice (Retd.) Rumi Kumari Phukan and included members such as Devajit Saikia, the Advocate General of Assam, Nalin Kohli, a BJP leader, and Nekibur Zaman, another senior advocate from Gauhati High Court.
Earlier, Sarma had announced that a ban on polygamy in Assam would be enforced before 2024. To thoroughly explore the implications and feasibility of the proposed ban, the government had formed the expert committee, which examined the prospects and legalities of implementing the ban in the state.
The committee’s primary objective was to determine whether the state legislature possesses the authority to prohibit polygamy in Assam. The proposed ban, if implemented, is perceived to be a significant step towards gender equality and women’s empowerment, emphasising the state government’s commitment to creating a more inclusive society.
