New Delhi: The Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh has passed a bill which puts a ban on mass conversions. The bill also provides a 10-year jail sentence if someone is converted by force or through allurement.
The bill was passed on August 13, 2022. The bill forbids ‘mass conversions’. The maximum punishment is capped at a sentence of 10 years of imprisonment. The punishment can be given if the conversion is enacted using force or allurement.
The bill namely, The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was passed unanimously through a voice vote in the House.
The mass conversion refers to two or more person converting at the same time. The 2019 Act proposes increase of punishment to up to 10 years which was earlier 7 years.
The Bill came into effect barely 18 months ago. The Bill is already inculcated this amendment.
The 2019 Act was notified on December 21, 2020. This was nearly 15th months after it was passed in the Assembly. The 2019 version of the Bill actually replaced a 2006 law, which had provisions of lesser punishments.
Introducing the bill on Friday, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the 2019 Act did not have a provision to curb mass conversion, and “therefore, a provision to this effect is being made.” The bill seeks to amend sections 2,4,7 and 13 and insert section 8A in the 2019 Act.
