Guwahati:

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said his government has taken a significant step to ensure justice for girls by putting additional safeguards against child marriage.

In a cabinet meeting today, he said the government has taken a decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act and Rules 1935 vide the Assam Repealing Bill 2024.

This comes at a time when Assam has registered 81 per cent reduction in child marriages between 2021 and 2024.

The Repealing Bill 2024 will be presented and a new law will be brought during the upcoming monsoon session of the assembly

Mr Sarma had earlier said child marriage will be eradicated from Assam completely by 2026.

The Assam government had in last year’s budget launched the ‘Mission for Prevention of Child Marriage’ in the state with an allocation of Rs 200 crore.

Under the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, the marriage of people under the age of nine or 10 were allowed.

As per state government data, 3,098 people were arrested in the first two months of last year under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The state registered 4,363 cases of child marriage since February 3 this year.

“We have taken a significant step to ensure justice for our daughters and sisters by putting additional safeguards against child marriage,” Mr Sarma posted on X, soon after chairing the meeting of Council of Ministers.

“In the meeting of the Assam cabinet today we have decided to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act and Rules 1935 vide the Assam Repealing Bill 2024,” he added.