Assam budget proposes ending welfare benefits for polygamy and dismissing offending employees

Those who are in a polygamous marriage would not be eligible for any welfare scheme, Himanta Biswa Sarma also announced.

In his Budget speech, Assam Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said the government would amend the 1964 service rules to make employees practising polygamy liable for dismissal

The proposals come a year after the Assam Assembly passed the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, which seeks to ban polygamous marriages in the state.

The Assam government has proposed stringent measures against polygamy, including the dismissal of government employees found practising it and the denial of benefits under state welfare schemes, according to the 2026-27 state Budget presented on Friday.Guwahati: After State Budget presentation, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "In order to promote women empowerment and gender justice, any male practicing polygamy shall not be eligible to avail benefits under any Government welfare scheme. Any person convicted of an offence… pic.twitter.com/HfIix8FceZ— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2026 Presenting the Budget in the Assembly, Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said the proposals are aimed at promoting women's empowerment, gender justice and responsible citizenship. Under the proposed provisions, any male found practising polygamy would become ineligible to receive benefits under government welfare schemes.The Budget also proposes amending the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964, to make government employees found guilty of practising polygamy liable for dismissal from service, subject to the applicable legal provisions.In addition, the government has proposed that individuals convicted of offences under any criminal law will also be barred from availing benefits under notified state welfare schemes.Assam Bans Fresh Aadhaar Enrolment For Adults Above 18 To Curb Illegal Immigration, Exempts SC/ST/Tea Garden Till 2027Baruah announced that the government would resume its welfare initiatives from August, as a full-fledged Budget could not be presented earlier due to the election process. More than Rs 6,000 crore has been earmarked for various welfare programmes. The minister also unveiled a Rs 2.85 lakh crore Budget for the 2026-27 financial year, proposing a fourfold increase in the tax exemption limit for small tea growers and a nearly 10-percentage-point reduction in VAT on piped natural gas.The latest proposals build on the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, passed by the Assembly last year. The legislation seeks to prohibit polygamous marriages in most parts of the state and prescribes a punishment of up to seven years' imprisonment and a fine for those found guilty of entering into or concealing a second marriage while the first remains legally valid.

The Assam budget on Friday proposed that persons practising polygamy will not be eligible for benefits under state-run welfare schemes, while government employees found guilty of the practice will face dismissal. Presenting his maiden Budget, state Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said welfare measures should not only reach the deserving but also enforce "inclusivity, integrity and moral ethos" in society. "Speaker Sir, in order to promote women's empowerment and gender justice, any male practising polygamy shall not be eligible to avail benefits under any government welfare scheme," Baruah said. The budget proposed amending the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964, to provide that any government servant found to have practised polygamy shall be liable for dismissal from service, in accordance with law. "To promote integrity and responsible citizenship, I propose that any person convicted of an offence under any criminal law shall not be eligible to avail benefit

Assam's government proposed barring polygamous individuals from state welfare schemes. Government employees practicing polygamy may face dismissal from their service. The state also plans to amend existing rules for disciplinary actions. This initiative aims to promote women's empowerment and gender justice. The government will resume its welfare schemes from August onwards.