Summary:
Shimla, Aug 13 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed a bill on Saturday amending an existing law against a change of religion through force or allurement to forbid any "mass conversion" and enhance the maximum punishment for the crime to 10 years imprisonment.
The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2022, was passed unanimously with a voice vote.
The bill inserts the reference to "mass conversion", which is described as two or more people converting at the same time, in the 2019 law.
The Jai Ram Thakur-led government had introduced the bill on Friday.
It is a more stringent version of The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2019, which came into force barely 18 months ago.
The 2019 Act was notified on December 21, 2020, 15 months after it was passed in the state assembly.
The 2019 version had in turn replaced a 2006 law, which prescribed lesser punishments.
The amendment bill proposes to increase the punishment for forced conversions to a maximum of 10 years from a maximum of seven years.
It stipulates that the complaints made under the Act will be investigated by a police officer not below the rank of a sub-inspector.
The offences will now be tried by a sessions court.
Introducing the bill on Friday, the chief minister had said the 2019 Act did not have a provision to curb mass conversion, and "therefore, a provision to this effect is being made." The bill seeks to amend sections 2,4,7 and 13 and insert section 8A in the 2019 Act.
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