On May 13, the Assam state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, approved the draft of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, which is set to be introduced in the Assam Legislative Assembly on May 26. This bill aims to replace religion-based personal laws with a unified framework governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption. Notably, the bill excludes indigenous tribal communities protected under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, ensuring their traditional practices remain intact.

A significant aspect of the UCC is its stance on polygamy, which will be treated as a criminal offense with penalties of up to 7 years in prison for entering into a subsequent marriage while a first spouse is alive. Hiding a prior marriage to secure a second marriage can lead to penalties of up to 10 years. Additionally, village heads and religious officials facilitating polygamous unions could face up to 2 years in jail.

The bill also raises the minimum legal marriage age for women to 21 years, aligning it with men's age, to enhance health and empowerment. It mandates government-monitored civil registration for all marriages and bans practices like Nikah Halala and Muta. Unlike other states, Assam's UCC includes strict penalties and respects local tribal customs more thoroughly, distinguishing it from UCCs in Goa and Uttarakhand.