Anti 'Love Jihad' Law: Gujarat High Court Puts Sections Of 'Freedom Of Religion' Act On Hold

Anti 'Love Jihad' Law: Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Vikram Nath said, "This interim order has been passed to give protection to parties of inter-religion marriages from unnecessary trouble".

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Anti-Love Jihad Law: The Gujarat High Court on Thursday stayed the implementation of some sections of the state's new anti-conversion law on inter-religious marriages (Inter-faith marriage).

A bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Biren Vaishnav said an interim order has been passed to protect people from unnecessary trouble.

The Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act, 2021 which punishes people involved in religious conversion done using force or deceit through marriage, was notified by the state government on June 15.

The Gujarat branch of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind said in a petition filed last month that some amended sections of the law are unconstitutional.

Chief Justice Vikram Nath said on Thursday, "We are of the opinion that sections 3, 4, 4A to sections 4C, five, six and six A will not be enforced unless further hearing is pending, if a person of one religion marries a person of other religion without force, without any inducement or use of fraudulent means then such marriages cannot be termed as marriages with an intention of illegal conversion".

"This interim order has been issued to protect the parties in interreligious marriages from unnecessary trouble," he added. Notably, BJP ruled states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam have wither passed similar legislation or have announced to bring it.