GUWAHATI: Government employees in India’s Assam state are facing stricter measures concerning family responsibilities and polygamy, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announcing action against employees who neglect dependent parents or enter into a second marriage in violation of applicable rules.
The announcement comes amid Assam’s broader efforts to discourage polygamy and strengthen the financial rights of dependent parents.
Salary can be apportioned for dependent parents
Assam already has legislation requiring state government employees to take responsibility for dependent parents and differently abled siblings.
Under the Assam Employees’ Parent Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring (PRANAM) Act, 2017, dependent parents or eligible differently abled siblings can apply to have part of an employee’s salary paid directly to them if they establish that they lack adequate income and require financial support. The amount generally cannot exceed 10% of the employee’s monthly gross salary, although exceptional cases can allow it to rise to 15%.
The provision is therefore not simply an automatic 10% salary cut for every employee who does not support their parents; it involves an application, assessment and decision by the designated authority.
Tougher stance on second marriages
The Assam government has also announced stringent measures against polygamy among state government employees.
In July, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said government employees found practising polygamy could face dismissal, while people in polygamous marriages could also be excluded from certain government welfare benefits.
More recently, reports said the government was considering a 20% salary deduction for state employees who marry again while their first marriage remains legally valid. The latest reported measure is aimed at discouraging second marriages without a legal divorce.
The policy is part of a wider push by the Assam government against polygamy. The state Assembly has also moved legislation aimed at prohibiting the practice.
Legal and administrative safeguards
The measures relating to dependent parents are subject to a formal process under the PRANAM Act, including an opportunity for the employee concerned to be heard before a decision is taken.
The developments highlight Assam’s attempt to use government service rules and welfare policies to promote family responsibility while taking a tougher position on polygamy.
Note: The salary-deduction provisions for dependent parents and the reported 20% deduction related to second marriages are separate measures and should not be treated as a single blanket penalty.
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