Assam Assembly scraps Namaaz break, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma lauds decision

The Assam Assembly on Friday withdrew the rule that allowed a Namaaz Break. Reacting to the move, Chief Minsiter Hemanta Biswa Sarma said that productivity has been prioritised in the state and colonial-era baggage has been scrapped.

"By doing away with the 2 hour Jumma break, Assam Assembly has prioritised productivity and shed another vestige of colonial baggage. This practice was introduced by Muslim League’s Syed Saadulla in 1937. My gratitude to Hon’ble Speaker Shri Biswajit Daimar dangoriya and our legislators for this historical decision," he wrote on a post on X.

The now-scrapped ruled allowed workers to take a two-hour Nammaz Break between 12pm to 2pm on Fridays.


Moreover, Assam Assembly on Thursday passed a bill for compulsory registration of Muslim marriages and divorces. The Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, 2024, was introduced by minister Jogen Mohan on Tuesday.

Speaking in the assembly during a discussion on the bill, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that after the implementation of this new law, registration of marriage with a minor will be considered illegal and Muslim marriage will be registered by the government and not a Qazi (Muslim cleric).

Sarma said that in places like Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir, registration of Muslim marriages is done by the state government.

"Today is a historic day for the daughters of Assam. After the implementation of the new law, registration of marriage with a minor will be considered a legal offence. Apart from this, now the registration of Muslim marriage will be done by the government and not a Qazi," he said.