Assam government workers in Guwahati have been warned that they face legal action if they marry another person while their current spouse is still alive.
When an employee’s spouse is still living, the government requires them to receive permission to marry again via an “Office Memorandum” (OM) issued by the Personnel Department.
However, the need for a divorce was not mentioned in the memoranda.
“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,” according to the decree.
The OM, which went into effect immediately, also said that no government employee, female or male, might marry a person who already had a spouse.
Niraj Verma, Assam’s additional chief secretary, issued the notice on October 20.
On Thursday, however, the truth finally came out.
The document said that the regulations were issued in accordance with Rule 26 of the Assam Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1965.
The directive stated: “In the context of the above provisions, the disciplinary authority may initiate immediate departmental proceedings.”
The OM further recommended that judicial action be taken against those responsible for such occurrences.
