THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Sept 16: The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions seeking a stay on anti-conversion laws implemented in several states across the country.
It is reported that a bench comprising CJI B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran has asked the state governments to submit their responses within four weeks regarding the petitions challenging the anti-conversion laws. The Court has scheduled the next hearing six weeks later.
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Anti-conversion laws are currently in force in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Uttarakhand, and these laws include provisions for punishment. The Uttar Pradesh government had enacted its law in 2021 to prevent forced religious conversions.
Under this law, forcibly or deceptively converting someone’s religion can attract 1 to 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of ₹15,000. If the conversion involves a minor, woman, or a person from Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, the punishment increases to 3 to 10 years of imprisonment.
In Gujarat, the law prescribes 3 to 10 years of jail and a fine ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹50,000. In cases involving women, minors, and SC/ST individuals, the punishment and fine are even higher. For mass conversions, the fine can go up to ₹2 lakh.
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Similarly, states like Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and others have strict punitive provisions under their anti-conversion laws.
