The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Assam on Thursday tabled a new Bill in the State Assembly to repeal the existing law governing Muslim marriages and divorces in the State..The Bill aims to abolish the Assam Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 on the primary ground that it facilitates the practice of child marriage..The Bill outlines several other reasons for repealing the Act. The statement of objects and reasons notes that the 1935 Act is a pre-independence Act adopted for the erstwhile Province of Assam to address Muslim religious and social arrangements.It also states that the registration of marriages and divorces is not mandatory, and the informal registration process leaves room for non-compliance with existing norms."There remains a scope of registering marriages of intended person below 21 years (in case of male) and 18 years (in case of female) and hardly any monitoring made for implementation of this act throughout the state which attracts and invite huge amount of litigation in the criminal/ civil court," it further suggests.It further states that the existing Act is prone to misuse by both authorised registrars and citizens, facilitating underage or forced marriages without the consent of the parties involved..[Read Bill]
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Assam on Thursday tabled a new Bill in the State Assembly to repeal the existing law governing Muslim marriages and divorces in the State..The Bill aims to abolish the Assam Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 on the primary ground that it facilitates the practice of child marriage..The Bill outlines several other reasons for repealing the Act. The statement of objects and reasons notes that the 1935 Act is a pre-independence Act adopted for the erstwhile Province of Assam to address Muslim religious and social arrangements.It also states that the registration of marriages and divorces is not mandatory, and the informal registration process leaves room for non-compliance with existing norms."There remains a scope of registering marriages of intended person below 21 years (in case of male) and 18 years (in case of female) and hardly any monitoring made for implementation of this act throughout the state which attracts and invite huge amount of litigation in the criminal/ civil court," it further suggests.It further states that the existing Act is prone to misuse by both authorised registrars and citizens, facilitating underage or forced marriages without the consent of the parties involved..[Read Bill]