Supreme Court issues notice to states on pleas challenging anti-conversion laws

The Supreme Court gave states four weeks to respond to its Tuesday request for comments on petitions contesting anti-conversion laws. According to the petitioners, the rules were being utilized to restrict religious observances and harass interfaith couples.

The states are Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Chhattisgarh. In six weeks, there will be another hearing on the issue. The Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandra’s bench further stated that it would decide whether to grant a stay on the laws’ execution after obtaining the states’ reply.

Both the petitioners and the respondent states have the chance to make thorough arguments throughout this timetable.

The petitions, brought by various organisations including Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and Citizens for Justice and Peace, allege that the anti-conversion laws are being weaponised to target individuals from different religious backgrounds.

“These laws have become a means to harass couples belonging to different religions. Under their guise, anyone can be falsely accused of conversion,” they argued.

attorney Ruchira Goel was named the nodal counsel for the states, and attorney Srishti Agnihotri was named the nodal lawyer for the petitioners by the Supreme Court.  As the matter moves forward through more hearings, their responsibilities will include coordinating submissions and communications between the parties and the Court.