The Assam government has proposed stringent measures against polygamy, including the dismissal of government employees found practising it and the denial of benefits under state welfare schemes, according to the 2026-27 state Budget presented on Friday.
Presenting the Budget in the Assembly, Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said the proposals are aimed at promoting women's empowerment, gender justice and responsible citizenship. Under the proposed provisions, any male found practising polygamy would become ineligible to receive benefits under government welfare schemes.
The Budget also proposes amending the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964, to make government employees found guilty of practising polygamy liable for dismissal from service, subject to the applicable legal provisions.
In addition, the government has proposed that individuals convicted of offences under any criminal law will also be barred from availing benefits under notified state welfare schemes.
Baruah announced that the government would resume its welfare initiatives from August, as a full-fledged Budget could not be presented earlier due to the election process. More than Rs 6,000 crore has been earmarked for various welfare programmes. The minister also unveiled a Rs 2.85 lakh crore Budget for the 2026-27 financial year, proposing a fourfold increase in the tax exemption limit for small tea growers and a nearly 10-percentage-point reduction in VAT on piped natural gas.
The latest proposals build on the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, passed by the Assembly last year. The legislation seeks to prohibit polygamous marriages in most parts of the state and prescribes a punishment of up to seven years' imprisonment and a fine for those found guilty of entering into or concealing a second marriage while the first remains legally valid.
