SC Seeks UP Govt’s Reply on Plea Against 2024 Amendments to Religious Conversion Law

New Delhi, July 17, 2025— The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the Uttar Pradesh government’s response to a plea challenging specific provisions of the amended Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2024, filed by academician Roop Rekha Verma and others, alleging the law’s provisions are vague and unconstitutional.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued a notice to the UP government and tagged the matter with other pending petitions that contest similar state laws on religious conversion. The plea argues that the 2024 amendments to the law violate fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19, 21, and 25 of the Constitution.

Filed through advocate Purnima Krishna, the petition contends that Sections 2 and 3 of the Act are “vague, overly broad, and lack clear standards”, creating room for arbitrary enforcement and discriminatory application, particularly against individuals seeking to practice or propagate their faith.

The petitioners assert that penal laws must be precise and narrowly defined, warning that the existing provisions grant excessive discretion to authorities, fail to provide reasonable notice to citizens, and risk wrongful prosecution.

One of the major objections raised is the expansion of the category of persons authorized to file complaints under the amended law without ensuring procedural safeguards. The plea criticizes the law for presuming malintent behind all religious conversions and for undermining the autonomy of adults, especially women, by placing their personal decisions under state scrutiny.

Specifically, Section 5 of the Act is challenged for reinforcing gender stereotypes, assuming that all women are inherently vulnerable to illegal conversions, and thereby undermining their individual agency.

While the state’s counsel informed the court that similar matters are already pending before the bench led by the Chief Justice of India, the petitioners emphasized that their plea narrowly targets only the 2024 amendments to the law.

The Supreme Court had agreed to examine the matter on May 2, and the latest move marks a significant step in ongoing constitutional scrutiny over anti-conversion laws enacted by several states.

Source: Hindustan Times

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