Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government Monday tabled a bill in the state assembly to amend the existing anti-conversion law, which proposes, among other stricter rules, an increase in maximum punishment to life imprisonment, hefty fines of up to Rs 10 lakh and makes bail more difficult.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024, anyone can file a complaint with the police over violation of the Act, unlike the existing legislation, under which only an aggrieved person, or his/her parents, brother/sister or any other person related to him/her by blood, marriage or adoption, may lodge an FIR against an act of conversion.
ThePrint has accessed a copy of the bill. It says, “Anyone who violates the provisions of the Act in connection with a juvenile, disabled or mentally weak person, a female or a person belonging to the SC/ST (Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe) communities, will be liable for punishment not less than five years of imprisonment, but can extend up to 14 years, and will also be liable for a fine not less than Rs 1 lakh.”
Under the current law, such violations — where the victim happens to be a female, a minor, or belongs to SC/ST communities — can attract imprisonment ranging from 2 to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 25,000.
The bill also proposes more stringent punishment and fines for mass conversions — imprisonment of not less than seven years, which can extend up to 14 years, along with a fine of not less than Rs 1 lakh. Currently, such violations result in a minimum jail term of 3 years and a maximum of 10 years with a fine of up to Rs 50,000.
Further, the amendment bill says that if anyone receives money from any foreign or illegal organisations in relation with religious conversions, he or she will be liable for an imprisonment not less than seven years that can extend up to 14 years and will also be liable to a fine of not less than Rs 10 lakh.
If anyone issues a life threat, threatens to harm property, uses force, or marries or promises marriage with the motive of conversion, the offender will be liable for imprisonment of not less than 20 years, according to the proposed bill. This sentence can extend up to imprisonment for the rest of the person’s life and will come with a fine that will be “justifiable and reasonable to ensure the medical expenses of the victim and his or her rehabilitation”.
The court will also have the power to allow a compensation to the victim by the accused with a maximum limit of Rs 5 lakh.
The bill also intends to introduce provisions which will make the grant of bail more difficult. It seeks to expand Section 7 of the existing Act, according to which all offences are cognisable and non-bailable.
The amendment bill proposes to add two more provisions under the section:
“If a person accused of conversions is in custody:
(a) he or she cannot get bail till the public prosecutor gets a chance to oppose grant of bail to him.
(b) where a public prosecutor is opposing the grant of bail, he/she cannot get bail till the time a sessions court adjudges that there are reasonable grounds to believe that he/she did not commit the crime and that if he/she gets released on bail, the person will not further commit a crime under the act.”
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)