Why in news
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly passed an amendment bill enhancing punishment under Uttar Pradesh's anti-conversion law, making all the crimes under this Act non-bailable.
Uttar Pradesh's anti-conversion law
The amended law introduces harsher penalties, including up to 20 years or life imprisonment for coercive conversions targeting minors, women, or specific communities.
The new requirements make it harder to obtain bail, requiring the prosecutor to oppose bail and proving that the accused is unlikely to repeat the offense
Anyone can now file complaints about forced or fraudulent conversions, allowing misuse by communal groups and those opposing inter-faith marriages.
The law treats inter-faith marriages as unlawful conversions, which undermines the freedom to marry and personal choice.
Individuals must notify authorities before converting, which intrudes on personal freedom and autonomy
Issues
The amendments increase the potential for misuse by enabling broader complaint filing and stricter enforcement.
The severe punishments, including long prison terms, may be disproportionate to the offense
The law's requirements to disclose conversion intentions invade personal privacy
The claim of increasing forced conversions is contested, and the rise might be due to misuse of the law against interfaith marriages
Violation of fundamental rights
The law restricts the fundamental right to freely change one's religion
The amendments reflect outdated attitudes and undermine democratic principles, violating fundamental rights under a modern Constitution
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