UP's Love-Jihad Law Faces Legal Hurdle: Plea Filed In SC, Says Ordinance Against Public & Society At Large

The PIL, filed by Vishal Thakre sought directions to declare the provision as ultra-vires the Constitution of India.

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Love Jihad Law: The law brought by Uttar Pradesh government against forcible religious conversions, which is being called as the love-jihad law of the state, has been challenged in the Supreme Court. Two pleas have been filed regarding the same calling the new law as a violation of the fundamental rights and have sought directions to authorities not to give effect to the same. Both the petitioner, Neeraj Shukla and Vishal Thakre are lawyers. The PIL, filed by Vishal Thakre sought directions to declare the provision as ultra-vires the Constitution of India. The public interest litigation (PIL) is challenging the "The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition Of Unlawful Conversion Of Religion Ordinance, 2020" passed by the government of Uttar Pradesh.  It is against the public policy and society at large, the plea said. The ordinance passed by UP government against forcible or fraudulent religious conversions provides for imprisonment up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 50,000 under different categories. The promulgation of the Ordinance came four days after the Yogi Adityanath government had approved the draft of the legislation which also curbs religious conversions only for the sake of marriage. Meanwhile Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, on Thursday, said that the state will have a law against "love jihad", and officials have been directed to gather information regarding an ordinance promulgated in Uttar Pradesh in this regard. Also check out this podcast