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Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel gave her assent to an Ordinance promulgated by the state government against forcible or “dishonest” religious conversions

Highlights

• Criminalises forceful, inappropriate conversion for marriage into another religion, especially minors and women from SC/ST community.
• The new law mandates the imprisonment of the person accused between one-five years if convicted of carrying out forceful conversions for marriage
• Forced conversion will be a non-bailable offence
• Strict action will be taken against organisations that carry out mass conversions.

What the law mandates

• Marriage for the sheer purpose of converting a girl's religion will be declared null and void, with a punishment up to 10 years.
• Jail term of minimum 1 year up to 5 years, or Rs 15,000 fine (in normal cases)
• Jail term of minimum 3 years and maximum 10 years, and fine of Rs 25,000 (if the girl is a minor or from the SC/ST community)
• Jail term of minimum 3 years up to 10 years, and Rs 50,000 fine (in case of mass religious conversion)

If someone wants to convert their religion after marriage, they will have to submit an application to the District Magistrate (DM) two months in advance.

For any conversion into another religion, individuals will have to pledge before a designated officer that such an act was not carried out by forced means or inappropriate measures.

Source: Indian Express