Assam Passes Bill to Ban Polygamy: What the Law Says and Jail Term Explained

Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025

The Assam government has passed the "Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025," introducing a legal ban on polygamous marriages in the state along with strict punitive measures. The legislation forms part of a broader effort to restrict multiple simultaneous marriages and protect the rights of women affected by such unions.

Scope and applicability

The new law targets any person who enters into a second or subsequent marriage while a previous marriage remains legally valid and undissolved. It applies across Assam, with certain exceptions for specific constitutionally protected areas and communities as defined under Indian law.

Definition of polygamy under the bill

Under the bill, polygamy covers situations where an individual marries again despite having a living spouse, without being legally separated, or while a prior marriage has not been dissolved or annulled by a competent court. Entering into such a marriage is treated as a criminal offence, regardless of whether the subsequent marriage is conducted under religious, customary, or civil procedures.

Criminal penalties and jail terms

The law prescribes imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine for a person who contracts a polygamous marriage while an existing marriage remains valid. If the offender hides or conceals the fact of an earlier marriage from the person with whom the subsequent marriage is arranged, the maximum jail term can extend to ten years.

Repeat offences and enhanced punishment

For repeat offenders, the bill proposes that penalties may be doubled, increasing both the potential term of imprisonment and the financial fine. This escalation is intended to deter habitual violations and reinforce the seriousness of the new legal framework.

Disqualification from public opportunities

A person convicted under this law becomes ineligible for public employment funded or aided by the government of Assam. Such a person is also barred from receiving benefits under Assam government schemes and from contesting elections to local bodies and other state-level electoral institutions.

Penalties for religious officiants

The bill also brings religious functionaries within its scope, imposing penalties on any priest or qazi who knowingly and willingly solemnises a marriage that violates the provisions of the law. Such officiants may face imprisonment of up to two years along with a substantial fine, which can reach around Rs 1.5 lakh as specified in the legislative text.

Responsibility of family and community leaders

Family members and local authorities who help conduct or conceal a polygamous marriage can also be prosecuted under the bill. This includes village heads, community leaders, parents, or legal guardians who knowingly participate in or hide the performance of a prohibited marriage, with potential punishment of up to two years in jail and a monetary fine.

Extra-territorial application for residents

The legislation contains a provision allowing action against individuals who are residents of Assam but attempt to evade the law by entering into a polygamous marriage outside the state after the act comes into force. It can also apply to non-residents who perform a polygamous marriage within Assam once the law is operational.

Protection and compensation for women

The bill recognises women in polygamous marriages as victims and includes a mechanism for financial compensation to help address the hardship they face. The state government is authorised to designate an appropriate authority and create a fund or framework to process and grant such compensation.

Policy intent and government stance

State leaders have presented the bill as a measure to eliminate polygamy and strengthen the rights and welfare of women in Assam. The legislation is framed as part of a broader legal and social reform agenda, emphasising both deterrence through punishment and support through compensation for affected women.

"The bill seeks to prohibit and eliminate practices of polygamy and polygamous marriage in the state, while ensuring that victim women receive compensation and support from the authorities."

Author’s summary

The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, bans multiple simultaneous marriages, imposes tough jail terms and civic disqualifications, and adds compensatory safeguards to better protect women affected by polygamy.

Times Now — 2025-11-27