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Top court to examine validity of 'love jihad' law in UP, U'khand
Top court to examine validity of ‘love jihad’ law in UP, U’khand
The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to stay the provisions of an Uttar Pradesh Ordinance and an Uttarakhand law, brought to checking unlawful religious conversions for inter-faith marriages
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to stay the provisions of an Uttar Pradesh Ordinance and an Uttarakhand law, brought to checking unlawful religious conversions for inter-faith marriages.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S. A. Bobde agreed to examine the validity of legislations, 'The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion Of Religion Ordinance, 2020' and the 'Uttarakhand Freedom Of Religion Act, 2018', and issued notice to the two state governments. The top court has sought response within four weeks.
The counsel petitioners - Vishal Thakre and others, and NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace - during the hearing stressed for a stay on these 'love jihad' laws and termed the provisions as "oppressive" and "obnoxious".
Senior advocate C.U. Singh, representing one of the petitioners, submitted that it is obnoxious to put burden of proof on the married couple to establish that the motivation for the marriage is not conversion.
Singh cited that several incidents have come on record where mobs have disrupted inter-faith marriages and also cited the severe punishment under these laws. Another counsel for a petitioner cited that similar legislation is on the way in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.
Singh alleged that several innocent persons had been arrested based on UP Ordinance against 'love jihad'. He cited that the offence under this law has a sentence of up to 10 years and it is also non-bailable offence. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the Allahabad High Court is already seized of the matter.
