Why in News?

The Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025 was introduced in the ongoing Budget Session of the state Assembly recently.

• Provisions of the bill - Religious conversion by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage has been made an offence in the Bill.
• The offence under the anti-conversion bill will be cognisable and non-bailable and triable by a court.
• Individuals who desire to convert their religion are required to give a declaration in the prescribed form at least 60 days in advance to the District Magistrate.
• The burden of proof that a religious conversion was not done through unlawful means rests on the person who has "caused" the conversion.
• The court may grant appropriate compensation to victims of unlawful conversion, which may extend to a maximum of ₹5 lakh.
• Repeat offenders may face double the punishment provided under the law for each subsequent offense.
• Marriages done for the sole purpose of conversion will be deemed invalid by family courts.
• Punishment and penalties - The Bill provisions imprisonment for a term not less than one year.
  • It may extend to 5 years with a fine of Rs 15,000.
• Those who violate the rules in respect of a minor, a woman or a person belonging to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of 2 years.
  • It may extend to 10 years along with a fine of Rs 25,000.
• In case of mass conversion, the bill provisions 3 years of jail extending up to 10 years and a fine of Rs 50,000.
• Marriages done for the sole purpose of conversion will be deemed invalid by family courts.
• Once passed, Rajasthan will become the 12^th state to have an anti-conversion law.
• Other states having anti-conversion law
  • Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Reference

The Indian Express | Anti-conversion bill