New law to check forcible conversions suggested by UP law panel

The report, which was prepared after going through pre and post-independence laws in the country, said that the matter is of serious concern.

“The commission is of the view that existing legal provisions are not enough to check religious conversion and on this serious matter, a new law is needed like in 10 other states,” the report read.

It added that the 10 states — namely Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand — had enforced special laws that ban conversions by force, fraud, marriage, or allurement.

The report also added that it was drawn up after looking at neighbouring countries like Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, besides keeping in mind court judgments.

The 268-page report included newspaper clippings of recent cases regarding forcible conversions, international covenants on the right to religion, and anti-conversion laws in India and its neighbouring countries.

The report also states the constitutional framework of the right to freedom in India, anti-conversion laws in various states of the country, along with a comparative study, recommendations of the law commission of India and extracts from important Supreme Court and High Court judgments, besides proceedings of the UP Legislative Assembly.