Assam Staff May Face 20% Pay Cut For 2nd Marriage Without Divorce

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the state government is going to take action against government employees who leave their first wife without obtaining a legal divorce and subsequently enter into another marriage.

Sarma said that in such cases, the government could deduct 20 per cent of the employee's salary and deposit the amount into the bank account of the first wife, subject to her making an application to the government.

"If a government employee abandons his first wife without legally divorcing her and enters into an informal marriage with another woman, 20 per cent of his salary will be deducted and deposited directly into the first wife's account, upon her application to the government," Sarma said.

The Chief Minister said the move was being considered after the government came across several cases in which employees had allegedly left their wives without completing the divorce process and gone on to live with or marry another woman.

He said the salary deduction could continue while the matter remains before the court, with the aim of ensuring that the first wife does not have to wait without financial support until the legal proceedings are completed.

Sarma said the government would also initiate legal proceedings against employees found to have violated the applicable law and service rules.

The proposed action comes as Assam moves to tighten its legal and administrative framework against polygamy. Assam, through its UCC, has already put a ban on polygamy.

The state has already brought provisions prohibiting polygamous marriages into its civil-law framework, while government service rules also place restrictions on second marriages.

The Chief Minister also indicated that the government was looking at extending similar protection to women in the private sector. A legislative measure is being considered to bring private-sector employees within its ambit, he said.

The proposal is aimed at ensuring that women who are abandoned by their husbands without a formal divorce are not left without financial support while their cases are being dealt with legally.