US EditionUttarakhand to Toughen Anti-Conversion Law; Life Imprisonment, ₹10 Lakh Fine Proposed — Check Details
The law expands inducement definitions, bans digital promotion, and enforces life imprisonment with heavy fines, aiming to protect citizens and maintain communal harmony, officials said.
- On August 13, 2025, the government of Uttarakhand, under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, ratified the 2025 amendment to the Freedom of Religion Act to strengthen measures against unlawful religious conversions.
- The Cabinet amended the 2018 Act to address forced conversions, expanding definitions and increasing penalties, with the Bill to be tabled in the assembly session starting August 19.
- The Bill prohibits inducements like gifts, money, employment, and digital promotion of conversions, punishing general violations with three to 10 years imprisonment and severe cases up to life term with heavy fines.
- Persons guilty of converting vulnerable groups may face five to 14 years imprisonment, while concealment of religion for marriage carries three to 10 years imprisonment and fines up to ₹3 lakh; District Magistrates can confiscate properties linked to conversion crimes.
- The legislation aims to safeguard religious rights, ensure communal harmony, and includes victim protections such as legal aid, rehabilitation, and confidentiality, while enforcing arrest without warrant and stringent bail conditions.
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Bill amending Uttarakhand anti-conversion Act includes prison sentences ranging from three years to life term
The State Cabinet approved wide-ranging provisions in the more stringent Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with ‘allurement’ defined as ‘any gift, gratification, easy money or material benefit, whether in cash or kind, employment, or by invoking divine displeasure’
Uttarakhand Cabinet Approves Amendments To Anti-Conversion Law
The Uttarakhand Cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments to the anti-conversion law to make it harsher, with stringent provisions like punishment up to life imprisonment and heavy fines being added to the new bill.
Uttarakhand Cabinet approves stricter anti-conversion law to curb illegal religious conversions
The Uttarakhand Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, on Wednesday approved the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introducing stringent provisions to curb illegal religious conversions. The amendments include harsher penalties, a ban on digital promotion of conversions and robust measures for the protection of victims. Key highlights: 1. Expanded definition of inducement: Offering gifts, monetary or material b…
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