Assam to Have New Law for Wedding: Himanta

Assam government has mulled to bring an act that will require the bride and groom to declare their religion and income in official documents a month before their marriage, announced Health & Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Sarma said the act aims to empower women of the state. He said that the proposed law was not entirely like 'anti-love jihad' laws in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh but would be similar.

Sarma while quoted by NDTV said that Assam's law is not against 'love jihad'. It would be inclusive of all religions and would empower our sisters by bringing transparency. One will have to disclose not only religion, but earning source. He said that the couple should provide complete family details, education etc. "Many a times even in same religion marriage we have found that the girl later finds that the husband leads an illegal business," said Sarma.

Sarma further stated that the law will made mandatory for the man and the woman to disclose their source of income, profession, permanent address and religion in a government-prescribed form a month before the wedding, failing which legal action would be taken.

Sarma also assured that the law will empower women adding that it will have some elements of the law in UP and MP.