The first session of the 16th Assam assembly is set to commence on Thursday, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announcing on Wednesday that the state government will introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill during the session. Sarma, who has assumed office for a second consecutive term, stated that Thursday's proceedings will begin with the election of the new speaker of the Assam legislative assembly.
Speaker Election and UCC Bill
“Tomorrow will be the first day of the assembly session, and our speaker will be elected,” Sarma said. An NDA delegation comprising cabinet ministers Atul Bora and Charan Boro, along with MLAs including Pijush Hazarika, submitted the nomination on behalf of BJP MLA Ranjeet Kumar Dass for the speaker’s election on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister further announced that the government would introduce the UCC Bill during the ongoing session. “In this Assembly session, we will bring the bill and we will pass it. It was one of our commitments made long ago — that if I became CM, we would pass the UCC in the very first session. We are moving ahead in that direction,” he told reporters.
Cabinet Expansion Expected in June
Sarma also indicated that a cabinet expansion is likely in the first week of June. “The cabinet expansion is expected to take place gradually in the first week of June,” he added. However, the CM did not elaborate on the provisions of the proposed legislation or specify the exact date on which the bill would be tabled in the assembly.
The introduction of the UCC Bill marks a significant step towards fulfilling the BJP's long-standing promise of implementing a uniform civil code in the state. The upcoming session is expected to see heated debates as opposition parties have expressed reservations about the proposed legislation.
