Assam UCC Bill to have 'smooth sailing' in Assembly, says BJP MLA

BJP MLA Pradyut Bordoloi expressed confidence in the smooth passage of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, tabled in the Assam Assembly by minister Atul Bora. Opposition leaders questioned the bill's necessity, calling it a political agenda.

BJP Confident of Smooth Passage for UCC Bill

BJP MLA Pradyut Bordoloi on Monday expressed confidence that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill introduced in the Assam Assembly would be passed smoothly and subsequently implemented in the state, as the House prepared for detailed discussions on the legislation. "I am sure that this Bill will have a smooth sailing in the Assam Assembly, and once it gets the legitimacy and becomes a law, it will be implemented. The members will put forward their views, and then the Bill will be properly passed," Bordoloi told the media.

The reactions came after Assam Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora tabled "The Uniform Civil Code, Assam, Bill, 2026" in the Assembly on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. "I have tabled the UCC Bill on behalf of the CM today in the House. The CM committed that if he comes to power again, the Bill will be tabled in the first session, and that has happened today," Bora told the media after the session.

The Bill, introduced nearly two weeks after being approved by the state Cabinet, is expected to be taken up for discussion and passage on May 27.

Opposition Questions Motive Behind Legislation

However, the introduction of the Bill also triggered political reactions from opposition leaders. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Working President Jakir Hussain Sikdar questioned the need for the legislation, alleging it is politically motivated. "We already asked why it is needed. The parties of Assam should have been consulted, which was not done. UCC is a political agenda of the BJP. How will it benefit the Assamese public?" Sikdar said.

Congress MLA AK Rasheed Alam said the party would examine the provisions of the Bill before taking a position. "We will have to see what provisions it has, whether it is needed or not, and what are its merits and demerits. We can only know this after the protests," Alam said.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Biswajit Daimary backed the legislation and expressed confidence that it would be enacted. "It has been introduced, and it should be passed in this session itself. After this, it will be implemented in the state," he said.

Key Provisions and Exemptions

According to the state government, Scheduled Tribes (Hills), and Scheduled Tribes (Plain) will remain outside the purview of the UCC, with 'Traditional religious customs, practices and rituals' also being exempted.

Chief Minister Sarma had earlier said the legislation primarily addresses four areas -- minimum age of marriage, prohibition of polygamy, equal rights for daughters in parental property, and matters related to live-in relationships.

If passed, Assam will become the third state in the country, after Uttarakhand and Gujarat, to enact a UCC law.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)