North-East byelections: Key contests in Meghalaya, Assam as Sikkim’s SKM secures uncontested seats
The North East is gearing up for byelections on Wednesday, with eight seats in focus across Assam, Meghalaya, and Sikkim.
In the midst of the BJP-led Assam government’s efforts to potentially prohibit polygamy in the state, Badruddin Ajmal, the chief of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), has stated that Muslims in Assam generally adhere to monogamy.
In addition, he reportedly remarked that it is more common for Hindus to enter into multiple marriages.
Ajmal also asserted that the policies of the BJP and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have made it increasingly challenging for Muslims to sustain their livelihoods, which, in turn, has limited their capacity to engage in polygamous marriages.
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Earlier, Chief Minister Sarma had indicated strong public support for banning polygamy.
The state government established a committee to assess the feasibility of implementing such a law, and this committee received 149 suggestions from the public in response to its call for input.
Of these, 146 suggestions were in favour of implementing a ban, while three organisations voiced opposition to the proposed legislation.
The expert committee, which submitted its findings to the government, underscored that the Indian Constitution grants both the Union and the states the authority to enact laws addressing specific issues.
The government is currently in the process of finalizing the bill, with expectations that it will be introduced in the state Assembly within the next 45 days.
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