The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill-2025 was approved in the State cabinet meeting yesterday, which was chaired by the State CM. The approved amendments to the earlier anti-conversion law are harsher, with stringent provisions, including punishment of up to life imprisonment and heavy fines, being added to this new bill.
According to this new bill, apart from strict punishment for illegal religious conversion, provisions such as a ban on propaganda through digital media and protection of victims have been added.
The definition of inducement has been expanded in the bill to include gifts, cash/goods benefits, employment, free education, promise of marriage, hurting religious faith or glorifying another religion, categorising all of them as a crime. It makes punishable the acts like promoting or inciting conversion through social media, messaging app or any online platform.
There is provision in the bill for 3 to 10 years imprisonment for general violation, five to14 years in cases related to sensitive class and 20 years to life imprisonment in serious cases and heavy fines.
The proposed bill also makes a provision for strict punishment for marriage by creating false identity or hiding religion besides making a provision for protection, rehabilitation, medical, travel and maintenance expenses for the victims of illegal conversion. The proposed legislation will protect the religious rights of citizens, prohibit conversion by fraud, inducement or pressure and maintain social harmony.
Other States with Stringent Anti-Conversion Laws:
Uttarakhand State is not the first state in recent times to have tightened the noose around those who wish to convert their religion by way of marriage or otherwise or even take part in practices with the aim of propagating their religion.
Haryana
The anti-conversion bill was approved by the State assembly in March 2022 despite protests and an Opposition walkout. Forced religious conversion is punishable by a fine of at least Rs 1 lakh and up to 5 years in jail. A person who converts or attempts to convert a minor, a woman, or a member of scheduled caste or scheduled tribe shall be punished with imprisonment for a term that shall not be less than four years, which may extend to 10 years, and liable to a fine not less than Rs 3 lakh.
Himachal Pradesh
The State Assembly approved a bill in 2022 to stiffen the state’s anti-conversion statue from 2019 by prohibiting converts from receiving ‘any benefit’ from their parents’ religion or caste and increasing the maximum punishment to 10 years in prison. The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill 2022, which was approved by voice vote, also forbids” mass conversion” which is forced or coerced conversion of two or more persons at once. The measure also suggests increasing the maximum sentence the unauthorized conversions from seven years to a maximum of ten years.
Karnataka
Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill 2021, popularly known as the anti-conversion bill, was established as a law after the State Governor gave his assent to the ordinance the controversial bill. As per this law any person can file a complaint against religious conversion, protecting right to freedom of religion in Karnataka. According to the new law, any converted person, his parents, brother, sister, or any other person who is related to him/her by blood, marriage, adoption, or in any form associated, or colleague may lodge a complaint of such conversion which contravenes the provisions. The offence is made to be anon-bailable and cognizable offence.
Any person who commits conversion by the illegal means can be imprisoned for up to 3 to 5 years and a fine of Rs 25,000. If the same offence is in respect of a minor or a person of unsound mind or a woman or a person belonging to SC or ST then the maximum imprisonment increases to 10 years and minimum is 3 years, and the fine increases to Rs 50,000.
The Bill also punishes mass conversion with minimum 3to10 years imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1 lakh. The fine amount is in line with Madhya Pradesh laws and the maximum punishment is in line with Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh laws. The court is also mandated to provide compensation to the victim from the accused, up to Rs 5 lakh which is to be in addition to the fine imposed as punishment.
There are many petitions pending in the courts of law, against these anti-conversion bills. Only time will tell, what will the fate of these petitions. In my opinion in a country like India which is very diverse and having many religions these type of anti-conversion laws should be there in place so that poor and tribal people can not be exploited in the name of religion. Secondly there are many case of Love Jihad, where mainly a girl of one religion is forced to convert to another religion for marriage.
Waiting for for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
14th August 2025