Uttarakhand Assembly Passes Stricter 'Anti-Conversion Bill', Introduces Offence Of 'Mass Conversion' With Upto 10 Yr Jail Term

The Uttarakhand State Assembly on November 29 passed the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2022 to make its 2018 'Anti Conversion Law' stricter and more stringent. The bill was tabled in the State Assembly on the opening day of the winter session of Assembly by State Minister Satpal Maharaj.

The bill seeks to make 'Unlawful Religious Conversion' a cognisable and non-bailable offence. It also seeks to introduce an offence of 'Mass Conversion' carrrying a punishment of imprisonment for a term of at least 3 years to a maximum of 10 years and a fine of at least Rs. 50,000/.

The Uttarakhand Govt recently moved in the state assembly a Bill (now passed) to make 'The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018' more stringent

- Unlawful religious conversion is now a cognisable & non-bailable offence.

- Mass conversion punishable with jail of 3-10 years. pic.twitter.com/UMeVpB1Xup

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The bill defines 'Mass Conversion' to mean "where religion of two or more person is converted". Similarly, the term 'Unlawful Religious Conversion' term has also been defined as "any converison which isn't in accordance with law of the land".

As per the amendment bill, a victim of the unlawful conversion may NOW get up to ₹5 lakh, to be paid by the offender, over and above the fine imposed upon him/her. 

Significantly, the bill proposes to make it mandaatory for a person wishing to convert religion to make a declaration post conversion of religion (within 60 days) before the concerned DM.

Earlier, the act only made declaration before conversion of religion as mandatory. Failure to give declaration before conversion would attracted an imprisonment of not less than 6 months and it may extend to a term of 3 years.

Similarly, if a religious priest, who performs purification Sanskar or conversion ceremony for converting religion, fails to give 1 month's advance notice of such conversion to concerned DM, he may be sentenced to impirsonment for a term of minimum 1 year and it may extend to a term of 5 years in jail.

Earlier the punishment was a minimum of 6 months of jail term uptom two years.

Stating the objects and reasons for the Bill, State Minister said, "In the State of Uttarakhand, under articles 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Constitution of India, under Right to Freedom of Religion, to equally strengthen the importance of every religion, the amendment in Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018 is necessary to remove certain difficulties in the Act."

Read/Download Bill Here