Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has once again signaled the state’s firm intent to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Speaking in Guwahati after visiting the samadhi of Assam’s first Chief Minister, Gopinath Bordoloi, Sarma emphasized that the UCC remains a cornerstone of the BJP’s governance agenda and a primary promise from the party’s election manifesto.
The Chief Minister assured the public that his administration is committed to fulfilling “100%” of its electoral pledges. While the BJP holds a comfortable majority in the Assembly, the move will require coordination with NDA allies to bring the legislation to the floor. The proposed UCC aims to replace various religion-based personal laws with a single, common legal framework governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption for all citizens, regardless of their faith.
Assam has already laid the groundwork for this transition through recent legislative measures, including stricter polygamy restrictions and updated marriage registration rules. These steps, according to the state government, are designed to promote gender justice and national integration.
The push follows the precedent set by Uttarakhand, which became the first state in independent India to pass UCC legislation earlier this year. However, the proposal continues to face scrutiny. Opposition parties and several minority organizations argue that a uniform code could impact India’s cultural and religious pluralism. Despite these concerns, the Chief Minister remains resolute, framing the UCC as a necessary evolution to ensure equal rights and streamline the state’s legal architecture. As discussions intensify, all eyes are now on the Assam Legislative Assembly for the next phase of implementation.
