The Assam government has banned second marriage for state employees without permission. The order, issued by the personnel department on October 20, states that no government servant who has a wife living shall contract another marriage without first obtaining the permission of the Government, notwithstanding that such subsequent marriage is permissible under the personal law for the time being applicable to him.
New Delhi: In a significant move, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has clarified that no state government employee can enter into a second marriage without the approval of the government. The Chief Minister also said that this rule was there earlier, but the government had not enforced it. However, the government has now decided to enforce the rule strictly, as per a report carried by news agency ANI.
The order, dated October 20, was issued by Niraj Verma, additional chief secretary of the personnel department. It has been conveyed to all government employees in the state, as per a report covered in news agency ANI.
“As an Assam government employee, from the point of view of our service rule, he is not entitled to enter into a second marriage. However, if some religion allows you to do so, even then, as per the rule, you have to get permission from the state government. It might give you or may not give you. After the death of the employee, two wives fight with each other over pension issues, and we find it very difficult to settle those,” Himanta Biswa said.
The remarks came against the backdrop of the government’s announcement in September to bring a law to the state assembly that will ban polygamy. Polygamy is the practice of marrying more than one person (multiple spouses).
Five-Member Committee Under Assam Government Constituted
At that time, the Assam CM said that the government had taken the suggestions from 149 people on the polygamy bill, and 146 people had supported the same. The Assam government also constituted a five-member committee, under the Chairmanship of Devajit Lon Saikia, Advocate General of Assam, to draft appropriate legislation for banning polygamy and other related issues such as tackling inter-religious marriage by false identity, the role of Kazis in the matter of Child marriage, etc.
State-wide Crackdown Against Child Marriage
In the second phase of a state-wide crackdown against child marriage, the Assam police arrested more than 800 accused persons on October 3.
Giving details, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on X, “In a massive crackdown against child marriage, Assam Police has arrested over 800 accused persons in a special operation that began in the early hours of dawn. The number of arrests is likely to rise.”
Assam Chief Minister Launches Amrit Kalash Yatra
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched the Amrit Kalash Yatra from Guwahati to Delhi as part of the “Meri Maati Mera Desh” initiative. CM Sarma flagged off the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express carrying urns filled with soil at the Guwahati Railway Station on Friday morning.
As many as 270 urns containing soil from different parts of Assam will reach the national capital here on Saturday in remembrance of those who lost their lives for the nation’s independence.
The yatra’s objective is to commemorate the martyrs and heed the example they set. Sarma arrived at the Guwahati Railway Station at about 5.45 a.m., after which he signaled the departure of the Rajdhani Express, which was heading for Delhi and carrying 270 urns full of soil.
(With inputs from agencies)