Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam Cabinet has approved new rules for the registration of Muslim marriages in the state.
“The ‘Assam Muslim Marriage Registration (Compulsory) Rules, 2026’ to establish a uniform procedural framework for mandatory registration across the state has been approved,” Sarma told a press conference after chairing the cabinet meeting.
It also shifted the registration process from licensed Muslim registrars or ‘kazis’ to government registration officials. He said if the number of applications increases, the government will gradually appoint some additional officers as registrars so that people do not face any difficulty in registering their marriages. The 2024 legislation weeds away provision of any Muslim marriage involving minors. The woman must be at least 18 years old and the man 21 years old at the time of marriage, according to the new law.
He said an earlier government decision had barred ‘kazis’ from registering Muslim marriages, but the alternative forum for registration was not mentioned. Sarma said the move is aimed at ensuring that Muslim marriages are properly registered through the government’s registration system.
