GUWAHATI: The Assam cabinet on Thursday approved the Assam Muslim Marriage Registration (Compulsory) Rules, 2026, establishing a uniform procedure for the mandatory registration of Muslim marriages in the state.
The rules operationalise the provisions of the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Act, 2024 which replaced the British-era “The Assam Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935.”
Addressing a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government had earlier taken a decision that “kazis” (Muslim legal officials) would not register Muslim marriages. However, it was not clear who would do the registration.
“Today, the Cabinet approved the Assam Muslim Marriage Registration (Compulsory) Rules, 2026. Muslim couples will now be able to register their marriages with the registrars of marriages,” the Chief Minister said.
He further said that if a large number of applications were received for marriage registration, the government would give the powers of marriage registrars to officers at the panchayat level to ensure that the applicants did not face any hurdles.
The Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Act, 2024, makes the registration of Muslim marriages and divorces with the government mandatory and prohibits any registration that contravenes the legal age of marriage – 18 years for females and 21 years for males.
The government had introduced this legislation with an aim to not only to abolish child marriage but also to get away with the kazi system. The government believes that the new law will also act as a strict deterrent against teenage pregnancy and improve overall growth of girls.
Under the Act of 1935, there remained a possibility of registering marriages involving persons below the legally prescribed minimum age of 21 years for males and 18 years for females.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet also decided to provide Rs 1,500 to the beneficiaries of “Orunodoi” scheme as the monthly incentive for October, instead of the regular Rs 1,250, as a Durga Puja gift.
Orunodoi is a flagship social welfare programme launched by the Assam government in 2020, providing monthly direct benefit transfers to empower women from economically disadvantaged families.
