Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Saturday promulgated an ordinance against forcible or fraudulent religious conversions. The ordinance gives for the imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 50,000 under different categories. The ordinance of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 comes four days after the Yogi Adityanath government had approved a draft of the ordinance which also curbs religious conversions only for the sake of marriage.

As per the ordinance, a marriage will be declared "null and void" if the conversion of a woman is solely for that purpose and those wishing to change their religion after marriage needs to apply to the district magistrate. It also has a provision under which if someone returns to their original religion, it shall not be deemed a conversion.

In case of contravention of the law, the ordinance says that the court shall grant appropriate compensation payable by the accused to the victim of conversion which may extend to a maximum of Rs 5 lakh in addition to the fine. The ordinance says no person shall convert, either directly or indirectly from one religion to another by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage nor shall any person abet, convince or conspire such conversion.

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