Uttarakhand Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd) has sent back a crucial bill aimed at amending the state's anti-conversion law to the government for revisions. The move, which occurred on Tuesday, delays the implementation of stricter penalties against unlawful religious conversions.
Bill Returned Due to Technical Flaws
Officials from the state's Endowment Department confirmed that the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was returned primarily due to clerical mistakes, repetitive content, and ambiguities concerning specified prison terms. The bill was passed by the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly during its monsoon session on August 20, 2025.
In response, the state government, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, has decided to issue an ordinance to incorporate the necessary changes suggested by the Governor's office. This corrected ordinance will subsequently be presented for the Governor's assent once again.
Key Provisions and Harsher Punishments
The proposed amendment seeks to significantly strengthen the existing Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion and Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion Act, 2018. Drawing inspiration from a similar law in Uttar Pradesh, the bill introduces more severe punishments.
Under the current 2018 law, which was previously amended in 2022, forced or fraudulent conversion carried a prison term of two to seven years and a fine of at least Rs 25,000. The punishment was enhanced to two to ten years if the victim belonged to vulnerable groups like minors, women, or Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe communities.
The 2025 amendment proposes a substantial hike in these penalties:
- General fraudulent conversion: Three to ten years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 50,000.
- Conversion of vulnerable persons: If the victim is a minor, woman, SC/ST individual, or a person with disability, the punishment escalates to five to fourteen years in jail with a fine of at least Rs 1 lakh.
- Maximum punishment: For certain severe offences, the bill proposes a maximum sentence of 20 years or even life imprisonment.
- Property seizure: The amendment also grants authorities the power to seize the property of the accused.
Path Forward via Ordinance
With the bill being returned, the state government's immediate recourse is to promulgate an ordinance. This mechanism allows the executive to enact laws when the legislature is not in session, with the requirement that it must be later approved by the Assembly.
The Dhami government has emphasized its commitment to creating a robust legal framework against what it terms unlawful religious conversions. The swift move to prepare an ordinance indicates the political priority accorded to this legislation. Once the technical errors are rectified, the ordinance will be sent back to Raj Bhawan for Governor Gurmit Singh's approval, a necessary step for it to become law.
