The Assam Assembly on Wednesday passed the contentious Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill after a marathon debate marked by sharp exchanges between the ruling alliance and opposition parties. The legislation, backed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, was cleared by voice vote amid sloganeering from both sides of the House.
The Bill makes Assam the third state in the country, after Uttarakhand and Gujarat, to enact a Uniform Civil Code-related law. The legislation seeks to regulate matters relating to marriage and divorce, succession, inheritance, and live-in relationships under a common legal framework. However, Scheduled Tribes (STs), who constitute around 12.45 per cent of Assam’s population according to the 2011 Census, have been exempted from the ambit of the law.
The passage of the Bill triggered intense political debate inside and outside the Assembly. While the ruling BJP described the legislation as a historic step towards gender justice and women’s empowerment, opposition parties led by the Congress criticised it as selective, politically motivated, and lacking wider public consultation.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly defended the legislation during the discussion. He said the BJP had clearly promised to introduce the UCC in its election manifesto and was now fulfilling that commitment.
“We had mentioned clearly in our manifesto ahead of the polls that if we win, we will bring UCC,” Sarma said. Launching a sharp attack on the Congress, he alleged that the opposition party was opposing the Bill only from the perspective of one community. He claimed Congress leaders had repeatedly raised concerns about the impact of the law on practices under the Quran and Shariat but had not referred to Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita or Ramayana during the debate.
The chief minister also argued that the idea of a Uniform Civil Code was not new and had historical support from the Congress itself. He referred to discussions before Independence and said committees linked to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had examined similar proposals decades ago. Sarma further pointed to Goa, which has followed a form of Uniform Civil Code since 1961, continuing a legal framework inherited from Portuguese rule.
Defending the exclusion of Scheduled Tribes from the law, Sarma said tribal communities in Assam have long followed customary laws that already promote women’s rights and discourage practices such as polygamy. He described the exemption as a “mark of respect” towards indigenous traditions and social systems.
“Passing of this law in Assam will be a big step towards gender justice,” the chief minister said, adding that the tribal communities already possess social norms and customary regulations similar in spirit to the UCC.
Opposition parties, however, questioned the government’s intent and the “uniformity” of the proposed law. Congress legislators argued that exempting Scheduled Tribes undermined the very concept of a Uniform Civil Code. They also alleged that the Bill was introduced without adequate consultations with civil society groups, legal experts, and minority communities.
Several opposition members described the legislation as a “political stunt” aimed at polarisation ahead of future elections. They demanded that the Bill be sent to a select committee for further review and proposed amendments to address concerns related to constitutional protections and social diversity.
The debate in the Assembly lasted for more than five hours, with members from both treasury and opposition benches frequently interrupting each other with slogans supporting and opposing the Bill. Despite the heated exchanges, the government succeeded in securing passage of the legislation through a voice vote.
The enactment of the UCC Bill in Assam is expected to intensify the national debate over the implementation of a common civil code across the country. The issue remains politically sensitive, with supporters arguing that it promotes equality and gender justice, while critics maintain that it may interfere with religious freedom and cultural diversity protected under the Constitution.
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