New Delhi: The Assam Cabinet has approved the Assam Muslim Marriage Registration (Compulsory) Rules, 2026, introducing a uniform framework for the mandatory registration of Muslim marriages across the state.
Under the new system, Muslim marriages will be registered through designated government registrars instead of licensed Muslim registrars or qazis. The government may appoint additional officers as registrars if the number of applications increases, with the aim of ensuring that couples can complete the registration process without difficulty.
The new rules provide the procedural framework under the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Act, 2024. The legislation replaced the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act of 1935, under which registration had initially been voluntary. An amendment in 2010 had subsequently made registration compulsory.
The 2024 legislation also introduced stricter safeguards concerning the legal age of marriage. Under the law, a woman must be at least 18 years old and a man at least 21 years old at the time of marriage. The framework excludes the registration of marriages involving minors.
The registration process has also been brought under the state government’s formal administrative system. Applicants are required to provide documents establishing their identity, age and residence, along with declarations from the couple.
The framework includes provisions concerning free consent and prohibited relationships. It also provides for public notice and a 30 day period during which objections to a proposed registration can be raised.
With the approval of the 2026 rules, Assam has established detailed procedures for implementing compulsory registration of Muslim marriages through government authorities, replacing the earlier system centred on licensed Muslim registrars and qazis.
Sorry, there was a YouTube error.
