Assam NDA Govt Approves UCC Draft, Bill To Be Introduced In Assembly On May 26

Days after taking oath for a second consecutive term as Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that the state cabinet has approved the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, which will be introduced in the Assam Assembly on May 26.

Calling the UCC a key promise of the BJP-led NDA government, Sarma said the legislation would focus on marriage registration, divorce and live-in relationships while exempting Assam’s tribal communities and their customs.

Assam Cabinet Clears Draft UCC Bill

Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Assam cabinet had formally approved the draft of the Uniform Civil Code Bill.

“Assam cabinet has decided to introduce the UCC Bill on the last day of the Assembly session on May 26. The cabinet has approved the draft,” he said.

The Assembly session of the newly elected government is scheduled to begin on May 21.

What The Assam UCC Will Cover

Sarma said the proposed legislation would largely be in sync with UCC frameworks introduced or proposed in states such as Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Goa.

According to the Chief Minister, the Assam UCC will primarily deal with:

Marriage registration

Divorce procedures

Regulation of live-in relationships

Compulsory registration of marriages

However, he clarified that tribal communities in Assam would be completely exempted from the law.

“We have completely exempted the tribal population and customs, rituals and traditions of Assam because we have different communities with different customs,” he stated.

‘UCC Is Part Of Our Manifesto’

Reiterating the BJP’s poll promise, Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government would work to implement every commitment mentioned in the NDA manifesto.

“UCC is a part of our manifesto. We will try to implement every word mentioned in our manifesto under the ambit of the Constitution,” he said.

Sarma added that the “identity and security of Assam” would remain central to his government’s politics and governance agenda.

Sarma On NDA 3.0 & Bengal Ties

The Chief Minister also spoke about the beginning of the “NDA 3.0 era” in Assam after he took oath at a grand swearing-in ceremony held at the Khanapara Veterinary College Field in Guwahati.

The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief ministers of NDA-ruled states, industrialists, diplomats and sportspersons.

Sarma said Assam now feels “more secure” after the BJP formed a government in West Bengal as well.

“Assam and West Bengal face many common issues. We can now work together in many areas to develop our states,” he said.

Assam Joins Growing List Of States Pursuing UCC

With the cabinet clearing the draft Bill, Assam is set to become the latest BJP-ruled state moving toward implementation of a Uniform Civil Code.

Uttarakhand became the first state in India to implement UCC after enforcing the law in January 2025, while Gujarat passed its own UCC Bill in 2026.

Goa has long followed the Goa Civil Code, often considered a form of UCC applicable across communities.

States like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have also initiated committee-level discussions on introducing similar legislation.

‘Second Term Will Focus On Development’

Reflecting on his first tenure, Himanta Biswa Sarma said the previous term was largely consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic and several pending projects could not be completed.

“My first term was a learning experience. In this tenure, Assam will see more development,” he said.

The Chief Minister is expected to chair the first cabinet meeting of the newly elected NDA government later this week.

Published on: Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 04:41 PM IST