The Assam government is planning strict action against employees who leave their first wife without a legal divorce and then marry again. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that in such cases, the state could deduct 20 per cent of the employee’s salary and transfer it directly to the first wife’s bank account, provided she applies for it.
The move comes after the government found several instances where employees had abandoned their wives without completing divorce proceedings and entered into informal marriages. The salary deduction would continue while the matter is before the court, ensuring that the first wife receives financial support during the legal process.
Alongside the pay cut, the government intends to initiate legal proceedings against employees who violate service rules and civil law. Assam has already banned polygamy under its Uniform Civil Code, and government service rules also restrict second marriages without divorce. The new measure is designed to strengthen these provisions and protect women from being left without support.
The Chief Minister also indicated that similar protections could be extended to women in the private sector. A legislative proposal is being considered to bring private employees under the same framework, so that abandoned wives outside government service are not left vulnerable.
This initiative is part of Assam’s broader effort to tighten its legal and administrative stance against polygamy. By linking financial penalties directly to salary, the government aims to discourage employees from entering into second marriages without proper legal separation and to ensure that women are not left without financial security while their cases are being resolved.