PIL In Supreme Court Challenges Laws On Religious Conversions "In The Name of Love Jihad" Passed By UP and Uttarakhand

A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the laws passed by the states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh on religious conversions in the name of "love jihad".

The PIL has been filed by lawyers Vishal Thakre, Abhay Singh Yadav and Pranvesh, who are practicing lawyers in Delhi, challenge the constitutionality of the recently promulgated Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unwlaful Conversion of Religion Ordinance 2020 and the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018.

The PIL prays that these laws made in the name of "love jihad" be declared null and void because "they disturb the basic stricture of the Constitution".

"The ordinance passed by the State of UP and UK is against the public policy and society at large"

- Plea in SC

It is averred that our Constitution has given citizens of India the fundamental rights which also includes the rights of minorities and other backward communities. 

"The ordinance passed by the State Governments of UP & Uttarakhand is against the provisions of the Special Marriage Act, 1954 and it will create fear in the society against who is/are not part of the Love Jihad they can be falsely implicated in the ordinance," Plea in SC

The petitioner states that the Ordinance can become a "potent tool in the hands of bad elements of the society to use this ordinance to falsely implicate anyone in this ordinance and there are probabilities of falsely implicate persons who are not involved in any such acts and it will be a grave injustice if this ordinance is passed".

Implementation of these laws will "harm public at a large and will create a chaotic situation in the society", states the petition.

In this context, the plea seeks issuance of a writ of Mandamus directing/ declaring the provisions of the Ordinances to be ultra vires and directions to not give effect to the Ordinance passed by the concerned State Governments.

Additionally, the plea has sought issuance of directions to the Centre and concerned States directing them not to give effect to impugned provisions/ordinance and withdraw the same or in the alternative, modify the said bill.

The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act was enacted in 2018 with the stated objective "to provide freedom of religion by prohibition of conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage and for the matters incidental thereto".

If any person comes back to his " ancestral religion", it shall not be deemed conversion under the Act, as per proviso to Section 3.

Section 3 of the Ordinance prohibits one person from converting the religion of another person by marriage. In another words, religious conversion by marriage is made unlawful. Violation of this provision is punishable with imprisonment for a term which is not less than one year but which may extend up to 5 years and a fine of minimum rupees fifteen thousand. If the person converted happens to be a woman, the punishment is double the normal term and fine.

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