On the second day of the monsoon session of the UP Assembly today, the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment ) Bill 2024 has been passed in the legislative assembly. The current amendments aim to make this Act more stringent by increasing the punishment. Earlier under the law maximum punishment was 10 years and a fine of up to 50 thousand rupees.

Current amendments have increased the quantum of punishment for various religious conversion-related offences. Under this bill, a provision of punishment of 3 to 10 years has been made for illegal religious conversion in the state. At the same time, a punishment of 7 to 14 years has been fixed for mass religious conversions and religious conversions with foreign funds.

Also, the bill states that if for religious conversion life or wealth of a person is put under threat, or there is use of force etc., or there is marriage or promise of marriage for the purposes of religious conversion, punishment will range from 20 years imprisonment to life imprisonment. The bill states that if a minor, woman or a person is lured and human trafficking is done, imprisonment ranging from 20 years up to life will be given. The UP government made the first law against unlawful religious conversion in 2021.