Uttarakhand Anti-Conversion Law Amended: Prison Terms Extended to Life

Quick Summary

• The Uttarakhand Cabinet approved the Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aiming to make anti-conversion laws stricter.
• The Bill proposes jail terms ranging from three years to life for forced conversions,up from the previous maximum of 10 years.
• Key provisions focus on punishing forced conversions due to allurement such as promises of jobs,money,or gifts:

– Mass conversions and foreign funding-based activities: jail terms of seven to 14 years.
– Forced conversion involving women,children,SC/ST individuals,or persons with disabilities may result in five to 14 years imprisonment.

• “False promises of marriage” and hiding one’s religion for marital purposes could attract imprisonment between three and ten years with a ₹3 lakh fine.
• Offenses such as human trafficking and threat-to-life during conversion attempts may warrant punishments up to life imprisonment under this Bill.
• Accused individuals can be arrested without a warrant; bail contingent on court satisfaction regarding thier innocence.
• district Magistrates are empowered to confiscate properties acquired through crimes related to religious conversion unless ownership is proven.
• Special provisions for victims include free legal aid and welfare facilities under confidential identity protection supported by government schemes.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The passage of the Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill signals Uttarakhand’s intent toward addressing concerns about alleged coercive religious conversions comprehensively while seeking alignment with constitutional rights of freedom under Articles 25-28. By mandating harsher penalties spanning significant criminal contexts like mass coercion or exploitation aided by foreign funds against vulnerable demographics groups clarity applies-laws breadth inclusions detailing categories prospects tighten comprehensive tracking terraform enforcement oversight mechanisms-framework protective clear systemic accountability balance reinterprets thereby boundary nuanced implications societal-policy competence governance virtue-neutral clause transformative conservative harmony contemporary democratic polity scopes assurance openness jurisprudential non societal path governance calibrations evaluative robustness forward trajectory statute prioritising safety inclusion principle safeguarding justice