Supreme Court Seeks States Response on Petitions Against Anti-Conversion Laws

The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday issued notices to nine states—Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, and Karnataka—seeking their response to petitions challenging anti-conversion laws. The states have been given four weeks to file their replies. The matter will next be heard in six weeks.

The petitioners have argued that these laws are being misused to harass interfaith couples and restrict religious freedom. The petitions have been filed by organisations including Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and Citizens for Justice and Peace.

“These laws have become a means to harass couples belonging to different religions. Under their guise, anyone can be falsely accused of conversion,” the petitioners contended.

A bench of Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran indicated that once the responses are filed, it would consider whether to stay the operation of the laws. The timeline, the bench noted, allows both petitioners and states to present detailed arguments.

On behalf of the states, Senior Advocate Ruchira Goel has been appointed as the nodal counsel, while Advocate Srishti Agnihotri will act as the nodal lawyer representing the petitioners.