Guwahati, March 2, 2026: The Mizoram Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, February 24, passed the Mizo Marriage and Inheritance of Property (Amendment) Bill, 2026, revising key provisions of the state’s customary law on marriage and inheritance and introducing a statutory ban on polygamy.
The amendment modifies the scope of the principal Act enacted in 2014. Chief Minister Lalduhoma, who also holds the Law portfolio, introduced and moved the Bill in the House, stating that several sections required rectification in light of evolving social realities and representations received from civil society organisations.
Under the amended Section 2, the Act will apply only to marriages in which both parties belong to a Mizo tribe, or where the male partner belongs to a Mizo tribe. Previously, the Act covered all marriages involving men and women in Mizoram.
The amendment further clarifies that Mizo women who marry non-Mizos will no longer be governed by the Mizo Marriage and Inheritance of Property Act or by Mizo Customary Law. Their children and grandchildren will also not fall under the ambit of the customary law framework. As specified in the revised provision, such women and their descendants will not be regarded as Mizos for the purposes of customary law and will not be entitled to claim Scheduled Tribe status under that framework.
The Chief Minister informed the Assembly that the amendment was drafted after consultations with various organisations and statutory bodies, including the Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP), the Mizoram State Commission for Women (MSCW), the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the Mizoram Upa Pawl (MUP), and the Mizoram Law Commission.
A representative of the Young Mizo Association stated that the proposed change to Section 2 was considered in view of a growing number of marriages between Mizo women and non-Mizos. According to him, the revised provision could act as a deterrent and serve to safeguard the identity and social structure of the Mizo community.
The amended Act will apply to all Mizo tribes and sub-tribes across the state, except in the three autonomous district councils and among other tribes settled in Mizoram that have their own distinct customary laws.
The legislation marks a significant development in Mizoram’s customary legal framework, particularly in matters relating to marriage, inheritance, and community identity.