Assam Cabinet clears Uniform Civil Code, exempts tribal communities

The Assam Cabinet on Wednesday approved the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state, but the tribal population will be kept outside its purview, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The UCC Bill will be laid before the new legislative assembly on May 26, the chief minister said at a press conference here after chairing the first cabinet meeting of his second term as the head of the government. "This is a major decision taken in the first cabinet meeting and aligns with the commitment we made during the elections," he said. Sarma said Uttarakhand, Goa and Gujarat have already implemented the UCC, but his government has customised it for the requirements of Assam. ''We have completely exempted the tribal population from the purview of UCC. All rituals, traditions and customs practised by the people of Assam outside the scope of UCC,'' he said.

The UCC will deal with succession, marriage, live-in relationships and compulsory registration of marriage and divorce, he added.