Guwahati, May 13 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday announced that the upcoming session of the Assam Legislative Assembly will begin on May 21, with the state government set to introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the House on May 26.

Addressing reporters after the first Cabinet meeting of his second term government held at Koinadhara in Guwahati, Sarma said that tribal communities in the state would remain outside the purview of the proposed UCC legislation.

“The Assembly session will commence from May 21 and the UCC Bill will be introduced on May 26. Tribal people will be exempted from the ambit of the proposed law,” the Chief Minister said.

Sarma also asserted that the policy framework and governance priorities of the new government would be guided by the BJP’s election manifesto, which he described as the “foundation of policy-making” for the administration.

“The BJP’s Sankalp Patra will be the basis of the government’s policy decisions and implementation road map,” he told mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet meeting marked the first formal sitting of the new government after Sarma was sworn in for a second consecutive term as Chief Minister earlier this week.

Four Ccabinet ministers Rameswar Teli, Atul Bora, Ajanta Neog and Charan Bodo attended the Cabinet meeting.

According to officials, the Cabinet discussed key governance priorities, legislative agendas and development initiatives to be undertaken during the new term of the BJP-led NDA government in Assam.

The announcement regarding the UCC assumes significance as Assam becomes one of the few states in the country to move towards implementing such a legislation after Uttarakhand.

The state government, however, has repeatedly maintained that constitutional safeguards and customary practices of tribal communities would be protected.

Sarma said the government would continue focussing on development, infrastructure expansion, welfare measures and strengthening law and order while implementing promises made to the people during the Assembly elections.

–IANS

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