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Guwahati (Assam) [India], May 13 (ANI): After Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that the state government will introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the Assembly on May 26, the final day of the first session of the newly elected House.
Addressing the media after the first Cabinet meeting of the new government, Sarma said the Assam Cabinet has approved the draft of the UCC and decided to table the legislation during the upcoming Assembly session scheduled from May 21, 22, 25 and 26. He added that newly elected MLAs will take the oath during the session, while the Governor will also deliver his address.
"The Assam Cabinet has decided to introduce the UCC Bill on the last day of the Assembly session on May 26. The state Cabinet has approved the draft of the UCC," the Chief Minister said.
He said the proposed law would deal with issues related to succession, marriage, live-in relationships, compulsory registration of marriages and divorce, and would be largely in sync with the models adopted in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Goa.
"Basically, the UCC will deal with the succession of marriage, live-in relationship and compulsory registration of marriage, including divorce. It will be almost in sync with Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Goa. However, we have completely exempted the tribal population and customs, rituals, and traditions of Assam. Because we have different communities, different customs," CM Sarma added.
Sarma also said the Cabinet has adopted the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) election manifesto as the guiding framework for policy formulation over the next five years.
Assam CM informed that the first session of the new Assembly would witness the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected MLAs and the Governor's address. The government has also requested the Assam Governor to appoint senior BJP leader Chandra Mohan Patowary as the Protem Speaker.
"After the oath-taking of the newly elected members, an election for the Speaker's post will be held. From the NDA, we have announced Ranjeet Kumar Dass as our candidate for the Speaker's post," he said.
The Chief Minister further said that expansion of the Cabinet would take place after the Assembly session, adding that ministerial portfolios are yet to be announced.
Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is a proposal in India that is aimed at replacing personal laws based on religions, customs and traditions with one common law for everyone, irrespective of religion, cast, creed, sexual orientation, and gender. (ANI)