Uttarakhand Anti-Conversion Law To Get Stricter With New Amendments: Report

The Uttarakhand Cabinet on Wednesday (13 August) approved sweeping amendments to its anti-conversion legislation, introducing significantly harsher penalties, including life imprisonment in the gravest cases, alongside heavy fines.

The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was cleared during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, PTI reported.

The proposed changes, according to the source cited in the report, aim to combat unlawful religious conversions through fraud, inducement, or coercion, while safeguarding citizens’ religious rights and maintaining social harmony.

The amended bill widens the definition of “inducement” to cover a range of benefits such as gifts, cash, goods, employment, free education, promises of marriage, actions hurting an individual’s religious beliefs, or glorifying another faith. All such acts would now be treated as criminal offences.

It reportedly also criminalises promoting or inciting conversions through digital platforms, including social media, messaging applications, or other online channels.

Punishments range from three to ten years’ imprisonment for general offences, five to fourteen years for crimes involving sensitive class, and twenty years to life imprisonment in serious cases and heavy fines.

Further provisions address fraudulent marriages, such as those entered into by concealing one’s religion or using a false identity.

Victims of illegal conversions will be entitled to protection, rehabilitation, and financial assistance for medical care, travel, and maintenance.

These measures are reportedly intended to strengthen deterrence against forced conversions while ensuring adequate support for victims.

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