India imposes ban on marrying outside the religion – Bill passed by the Legislative Assembly

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LUCKNOW, 24 February 2021, (TON):  The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Bill, 2021 have been passed by the Legislative Assembly on 24 February 2021. Now under the Unlawful Conversion bill, offenders can land in jail for up to five years awarded penalty of Rs 15,000 for forceful religious conversion. For conversions of minors and women of the SC/ST community, beside imprisonment, there will enhanced penalty of Rs 25,000.

 In January 2021, the Supreme Court of India declined to stay the provisions of an Uttar Pradesh Ordinance and a Uttarakhand law, brought to checking unlawful religious conversions for inter-faith marriages. A bench headed by Chief Justice S. A. Bobde agreed to examine the validity of legislation, 'The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020' and the 'Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018', and issued notice to the two-state governments. The Supreme Court of India has sought a response within four weeks.

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