Assam Minority Body Supports Repealing Muslim Marriages Act and Backs Uniform Civil Code

The Muslim Rashtriya Manch, a minority body based in Assam, expressed support for the repeal of the Assam Muslims Marriages & Divorces Registration Act, 1935, and commended the state government’s crackdown on child marriages. In a media statement, Alkas Hussain, the state coordinator for the organization, applauded the government’s efforts and pledged support for the nationwide implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Emphasizing the need for a common dress code for all Indians, Hussain urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to introduce the UCC in Assam. The Assam Cabinet recently approved the Assam Repealing Ordinance, 2024, seeking the annulment of the British-era Marriage and Divorce Act for Muslims, sparking criticism from minority-based parties. The UCC, which proposes uniform civic laws for all citizens, is part of the Constitution’s directive principles of state policy, with ongoing debates on its potential impact on religious freedom and cultural diversity.