Page 29 - Cafe-Social-June-2021

Does the Anti-Conversion Law

Invade One's Privacy

and Freedom of

Personal Choice?

By ADV. NALiNi MiSHRA

Introduction

In November 2020, the Uttar Pradesh
Prohibition of Unlawful Religious
Conversion Ordinance 2020 (URCO), also
known as the “Anti-Conversion” law, was

implemented. The same feat was followed
by nine other states such as Arunachal
Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh,
Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand. However,
this law was heavily criticized by many
stakeholders, especially inter-faith couples,
as they contend that their fundamental
right to religion, freely marry a person of
their own choice, and privacy is violated. In
this regard, this article seeks to address
the object, rubrics, and consequential
effect of the Anti-Conversion law and the
concept of consent.

How valid is the religion conversion? Is Conversion law, it is not through free consent
it a willful ? but misrepresentation, fraud, coercion, or
allurement. This argument may hold to a
The official object behind the Anti-Conversion certain extent as individuals may convert to
law is stated to prevent conversion from one another religion solely to marry their loved one
religion to another solely for marriage inter alia without knowing the intricacies, functioning,

other reasons such as conversion through and theory behind the new religion. According
fraud. This essentially means that when a to the Anti-Conversion law, this absence of
person converts from one religion to another to knowledge is equal to consent not being “truly”
marry their loved one, according to Anti-
free. Further, it is also known that inter-faith

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