New Delhi, January 6:  The Supreme Court on Wednesday entertained petitions challenging the legality of the 'Love Jihad' law in the state of Uttar Pradesh and anti-conversion law in Uttarakhand. The Supreme Court bench led by CJI SA Bobde heard the petitions which sought to challenge the constitutional validity of the The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 which now monitors religious conversions and interfaith marriage. The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018 was also challenged in the petition before the Supreme Court. Anti-Conversion Law: UP Police Registered More Than One Case of ‘Love Jihad’ Everyday; 35 Arrested in One Month.

The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 legislation was passed in Uttar Pradesh recently and made a law, which makes 'forceful' conversion for inter-faith marriages a punishable offence. The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, passed in that year, aimed "to provide freedom of religion by prohibition of conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage and for the matters incidental thereto."

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The petitioners said that similar legislations are soon going to be passed in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. They argued that it is unfair to "put burden of proof on married couples" to prove that no conversion by marriage happened in their case. Uttar Pradesh Police Drop 'Love Jihad' Case Against 3 Muslim Men After Complaint Turns Out To Be Fake.

However, the court refused to put a stay on the 'Love Jihad' laws in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. CJI SA Bobde also said that the petitioners should have approahed the respective high courts (HCs) in this matter. The next hearing will take place after 4 weeks.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 06, 2021 12:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).