Congress slams Assam government's move to repeal Muslim marriage law, says action unconstitutional

Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput slammed Assam cabinet's decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act of 1935, an unconstitutional step by the state government which will be scapped by Supreme Court. 

Accusing Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of engagin in unconstitutional work to his the failures of the government, Surendra Rajput said, "“Assam government and especially (Assam CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma are doing all this unconstitutional work only to hide their failures, which we believe, will get scrapped by the Supreme Court.”

Assam cabinet today repealed the Assam Muslim Marriage & Divorce Registration Act 1935. The decision was taken today in a cabinet meeting which was chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

Later while addressing the media, cabinet minister Jayanta Mallabarua termed it as a step towards achieving Uniform Civil Code (UCC). He stated that now all matters pertaining to Muslim marriages and divorces would be taken care of under the Special Marriages Act. 

"The Chief Minister had recently stated that we are moving towards Uniform Civil Code (UCC). In this journey, a very important decision has been taken. The Assam Muslim Marriage & Divorce Registration Act 1935, under which 94 Muslim registrars are still functioning, has been repealed today. The cabinet has today ended this Act and now under this act no Muslim marriage or divorce would be registered. Since we have a Special Marriages Act, hence we want all matters settled through that particular Act," said Mallabarua. 

The cabinet minister further said that now the authority for the issue of registration of Muslim marriages and divorces would be taken up by the District Commissioner and the District Registrar. 

He also announced that the 94 Muslim registrars, who were functioning under the Act, would be discharged from their duties with a one-time compensation of Rs 2 lakh for each person.

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