Archive · 18 Aug 2025
Uttarakhand's Anti-Conversion Law: Penalties Increase, Controversy Remains
Imagine Uttarakhand made a new law about changing religions.
This law says that if someone forces you to change your religion, they could go to jail for a long time.
It started with a shorter jail time, then got longer.
Now, the new law makes the jail time even longer and the fines bigger.
Some people think this is unfair because they don't have proof that many people are being forced to change religions.
They also think the punishments are too harsh compared to the problem.
Uttarakhand's 2025 bill increases penalties for forced conversions, including life imprisonment for severe offenses.
The 2018 Act prescribed up to 5 years imprisonment for forced conversions.
The 2022 amendment increased the punishment to 2-7 years and a fine of Rs. 25,000, with longer sentences for vulnerable groups.
The 2025 amendment proposes 3-10 years imprisonment, higher fines, and up to 14 years for vulnerable groups.
Critics question the proportionality of the increased penalties, citing a lack of data on forced conversions and convictions.
- Who
- The Uttarakhand government and those accused of forced conversions.
- What
- The Uttarakhand government is increasing penalties for forced or fraudulent religious conversions.
- When
- Amendments made in 2022 and a 2025 bill.
- Where
- Uttarakhand
- Why
- To penalize those who force religious conversions.
Critics
Government
Proportionality
Critics
Increased penalties lack proportionality. Punishments are too harsh.
Government
The law aims to protect people from forced conversion.
Evidence
Critics
Critics allege the government has no data to back up the increase in penalties.
Government
The government may have based its decision on some specific cases
- 2018 Act Punishment
- Up to 5 years imprisonment
- 2022 Amendment Punishment
- 2-7 years imprisonment and Rs. 25,000 fine
- 2022 Amendment (Vulnerable)
- Up to 10 years imprisonment and Rs. 25,000 fine
- 2025 Amendment Punishment
- 3-10 years imprisonment and a fine
- 2025 Amendment (Vulnerable)
- Up to 14 years imprisonment and a fine
- Severe offenses
- 20 years to life imprisonment and up to a 10 Lakh fine