Assam government moves to dismiss employees who practice polygamy
The Assam government has proposed amendments to its service rules that would allow for the dismissal of any government employee found to have practised polygamy. The announcement was made by Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah during his budget speech in the state assembly on Friday.
Under the proposed changes to the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964, any male government employee who engages in polygamy would be liable for dismissal from service. Additionally, individuals practising polygamy would become ineligible for benefits under any government welfare schemes.
Baruah stated that the move is in line with the government's commitment to women empowerment, gender justice, and responsible family values. The government also proposed that anyone convicted of a criminal offence under any law would be excluded from accessing welfare schemes, aiming to promote integrity and responsible citizenship.
The affected schemes include Orunodoi, a direct monthly support of ₹1,250 to approximately 40 lakh women-led households, old-age pension, and Annadata, which provides subsidised essentials.
This proposal follows the passage of the Uniform Civil Code Bill 2026 by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Assam government in May, which primarily seeks to ban polygamy and criminalise child marriage. However, indigenous communities were exempted from the purview of that Bill.
