HT Digital
Guwahati , Nov 25: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Nov 25 introduced the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025 in the state Assembly, signalling a major push towards banning polygamy in the state. The bill was tabled with the permission of Speaker Biswajit Daimary on the first day of the Winter Session.
The move unfolded without the presence of Congress, CPI(M) and Raijor Dal MLAs, who staged a walkout moments earlier following a discussion on the death of singer Zubeen Garg. With the Opposition absent, the bill was formally placed before the House and is expected to be taken up for debate and passage at a later date.
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On the same day, Sarma also laid the report of the Justice (retd) T.U. Mehta Commission, which examined the widespread violence surrounding the 1983 Assembly elections. Formed by Mukti Jujaru Sanmilan and leaders of the Assam Movement, the Commission probed incidents linked to the anti-influx agitation between 1979 and 1985 — a tumultuous period that saw grave tragedies, including the Nellie massacre of Feb 1983, where more than 2,100 people were killed in a single night. The report was placed without any discussion.
The government additionally circulated printed copies of the Tewary Commission report, another crucial document on the 1983 disturbances and the Nellie killings. Headed by retired IAS officer T.P. Tewary, the Commission submitted its findings in 1984, and the AGP government tabled it in 1987. Sarma earlier noted that despite being tabled decades ago, MLAs had no access to copies, with only one available with the Speaker. A recent Cabinet directive ensured that both hard and digital versions were distributed during the Winter Session, though the House will not debate the document.
The Winter Session’s opening day therefore marked a decisive push on a major social reform bill, while also placing before legislators long-sought reports that chronicle one of Assam’s most turbulent political chapters.
