The Mizoram Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed an amendment to the Mizo Marriage, Divorce and Inheritance of Property Act, 2014, introducing major reforms to family and customary practices in the state. The revised legislation was introduced by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, who also holds the Law and Judicial Affairs portfolio.
A key provision of the amended law is the formal ban on polygamy and bigamy, along with stricter safeguards to protect women’s financial rights after divorce or separation. Under the new framework, individuals will not be permitted to enter into a second marriage while their first marriage is legally valid, and those seeking remarriage must produce a valid divorce certificate issued by the concerned authority.
The amendments also aim to strengthen women’s rights over jointly acquired property and assets, traditionally referred to as Sum Chhuah, ensuring better financial security in cases of marital breakdown. Additionally, the law removes leprosy as a valid ground for divorce, recognising it as a treatable medical condition rather than a cause for dissolution of marriage.
The revised legislation aligns with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which criminalises bigamy and polygamy at the national level. The amended law, to be known as the Mizo Marriage and Inheritance of Property (Amendment) Act, will be applicable across Mizoram, except in areas governed by the three Autonomous District Councils where separate customary laws continue to operate.
