The Mizo Marriage and Inheritance of Property (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was passed during the latest Assembly session, introducing significant changes to marriage and inheritance laws within the community.
Under the new legislation, Mizo women who marry outside the community will lose their recognised Mizo identity. The Bill further states that children born from such marriages will not be entitled to inherit their mother’s tribal identity.
Introducing the legislation, Chief Minister Pu Lalduhoma said the amendments to Section 2 were of particular importance. He noted that while existing marriage laws apply equally to all genders, the new amendment specifically provides that a Mizo woman who marries a non-Mizo man will forfeit her Mizo identity, and her children will be unable to claim her tribal status.
The Chief Minister also announced that the amended law prohibits a man from marrying more than one woman. Divorcees seeking to remarry will be required to produce a divorce certificate as proof of legal separation.
In another notable revision, leprosy has been removed as a recognised ground for divorce. Pu Lalduhoma explained that the condition should not be considered sufficient reason to dissolve a marriage, describing it as an unfortunate circumstance. He added that marriage vows commit couples to remain together “in health and in sickness”.
The Bill also introduces changes to inheritance certification procedures aimed at safeguarding women’s rights, in line with proposals put forward by Women Commission and MHIP. Under the revised provisions, if a woman returns goods paid in accordance with customary practices during divorce proceedings, she will retain the right to claim them. Additionally, she will be entitled to 50% of property acquired during the course of the marriage.
