The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered the state government not prosecute “inter-religious couples” who got married in violation of a state law that prohibits religious conversion for the purpose of marriage.
The principal bench of the high court based in Jabalpur ordered the state government not to prosecute couples who got married in violation of Section 10 of Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 2021.
The section 10 deals with the mandatory provisions that one needs to fulfill before going for conversion to any other religion from one’s current religion.
The bench of Justices Sujoy Paul and Prakash Chandra Gupta in its November 14 order said, “Till further orders, respondent (state government) shall not prosecute the adult citizens if they solemnize marriage on their own volition and shall not take coercive action for violation of Section 10 of the Act 21.”
According to the section, it is mandatory for anyone who wishes to convert to another religion to inform the district magistrate about it at least 60 days ahead of the conversion. Failure to do would lead to imprisonment for a period of five years.
The candidate will also have to give an undertaking that he or she “desires to convert on his own free will and without any force, coercion, or undue influence of allurement.”
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