A ban on polygamy in Assam will be imposed before 2024, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

Addressing reporters here, he said that the “formation of a committee to have a detailed study on implementing the ban on polygamy in the state is under process”.

“I expect that by today evening it will be formed,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the committee will be given three months’ time to submit its report.

“I expect that by the end of this year, before 2024 we can have a law banning polygamy in Assam,” he added.

Sarma’s remarks come three days after he said in a tweet that the “Assam government has decided to form an expert committee to examine whether the state Legislature is empowered to prohibit polygamy in the state”.

“The committee will examine the provisions of The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Act, 1937 read with Article 25 of the Constitution of India, vis-a-vis the directive principle of state policy. The committee will engage in extensive discussions with all stakeholders, including legal experts, to arrive at a well-informed decision,” his tweet read.

Earlier, the All India United Democratic Front Chief Badruddin Ajmal had criticised Sarma’s push to ban polygamy.

“There are so many problems that exist in the state but the Chief Minister is busy with other things,” he had said in response.

Reacting to Ajmal’s statement, Sarma had said: “He (Badruddin Ajmal) is our opposition. If he supports me, then how would people vote for him in the next elections? So, I do not give importance to Ajmal.”

(This article has been published via a syndicated feed)