Supreme Court Seeks UP Response on Plea Over Religious Conversion Law Amendment

Quick Summary:

• The Supreme court of India reviewed a plea on July 16, 2025, challenging certain provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, as amended in 2024.
• A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath adn Sandeep mehta issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government requesting its response on the matter.
• The court tagged this case alongside similar petitions for joint hearing.
• Petitioners-including academician Roop Rekha Verma from Lucknow-argued that some provisions in the amended law are “vague and overly broad,” potentially violating free speech rights and religious propagation freedoms.

Indian Opinion Analysis:
This development underscores ongoing debates concerning laws related to unlawful religious conversions in India. Laws like the Uttar pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion aim to prevent coercion in religious practices but have faced criticism over ambiguity and potential conflicts with fundamental constitutional rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and equality.

The Supreme Court’s decision to seek a response from Uttar Pradesh signals judicial scrutiny over whether these provisions align with constitutional principles or disproportionately restrict individual freedoms. By tagging similar cases together for collective hearing, this move may help establish broader jurisprudence on freedom versus regulation within religious contexts-a topic central to India’s diverse sociocultural fabric.

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