HIMACHAL PRADESH’S LAW AGAINST RELIGIOUS CONVERSION

Subject: Polity

Context: Haryana Home Minister said that his government is considering a law against forced religious conversions and has sought information about such a law already in force in Himachal Pradesh.

Concept:

Salient features of the law:

• Last year, the Himachal Pradesh assembly passed the Freedom of Religion Bill, 2019.
• According to it, no person shall convert any other person from one religion to another by use of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, inducement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage; nor shall any person abet or conspire such conversion.
• The Act does not cover a person re-converting to his “parent religion”.
• Any marriage done for the sole purpose of religion conversion may be declared null and void by a court on a petition by either party.
• Anyone who wishes to convert to any other religion will give a declaration to the district authorities at least one month in advance, specifying that one is doing so as per his/her “own volition or free consent”.
• The burden of proof as to whether a religious conversion was not effected through force or fraud lies on the person so converted, or the person who has facilitated the conversion.
• All offences under the Act are cognizable and non-bailable. The violator can be punished with a prison term ranging from one to five years, along with a fine.