GUWAHATI: Ahead of bringing a law to ban polygamy in the state, Assam has reminded its over four lakh employees of a rule set more than half a century back that they cannot enter into a second marriage if the spouse is still is alive without the government’s approval even if bigamy is permitted under the employee’s personal laws.
The October 20 office memorandum issued by the state personal department warns the employees that they would attract major penalty, including compulsory retirement, if found in a bigamous marriage.
The memorandum underlines that having bigamous marriages is a misconduct on the part of a government servant and has a larger bearing on society.
The memorandum said no male employee can marry for second time if his wife is still alive and no female staffer can marry a man who has a wife still living without the government’s prior approval.
The memorandum issued by the additional chief secretary of the personal department, Niraj Verma, said Rule 26 of The Assam Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965 states that “no government servant who has a wife living shall contract another marriage without first obtaining the permission of the government, notwithstanding that such subsequent marriage is permissible under the personal law for the time being applicable to him.”
This rule also bars female government servants from marrying a person who has a wife living without first obtaining the permission of the government, the memorandum reiterated.
Authorities, besides initiating departmental proceedings, will also take necessary steps for inflicting legal penal action by a court of law against the employee found in a bigamous marriage.
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