Guwahati, May 25: After Uttarakhand and Gujarat, Assam has become the third state to table a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, with the Assam government introducing the proposed legislation in the state Assembly on Monday.
The legislation was placed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora.
The Cabinet had earlier approved the draft of the Uniform Civil Code ahead of the first session of the newly elected Assam Legislative Assembly.
The purpose of the UCC is to enforce a single, unified set of personal laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption for all citizens, regardless of faith.
The proposed legislation aims to address issues including the legal age of marriage, polygamy, inheritance and live-in relationships.
The bill will be taken up foe discussion on May 27.Tribal communities living in both the hill and plain regions of the state will be exempted from the provisions of the proposed law.
The proposed UCC in Assam would be limited to fixing a uniform minimum age for marriage, abolition of polygamy, inheritance rights for women, and regulation of live-in relationships, including compulsory registration of marriages and divorces.
The Uniform Civil Code is a proposal in India to formulate and implement personal laws that apply equally to all citizens, regardless of religion.
Currently, personal laws of different religious communities are governed by their respective religious scriptures. These laws cover marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and maintenance.
While Articles 25 to 28 of the Constitution of India guarantee religious freedom and allow religious groups to manage their own affairs, Article 44 directs the state to strive for a common civil code for all citizens while formulating national policies.
 Bill, with the Assam government introducing the proposed legislation in the state Assembly on Monday.){kind=link}