Life term and easier FIR in UP's stricter anti-love jihad law

New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill that seeks to amend the Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act to increase the maximum punishment to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh for violators.

Under the amended provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2024, if a person threatens, attacks, marries or promises to marry or conspires for it, or traffics a woman, minor or anyone with the intention of conversion, then the crime will be placed in the 'most serious' category. The amended bill provides for 20 years imprisonment or life imprisonment in such cases.

Earlier, a maximum punishment of 10 years and a fine of Rs 50,000 was provided under it.


State parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna had introduced the bill on Monday in the House and it was passed on Tuesday.

Under the amended provision, any person can now register an FIR in conversion cases. Earlier, to give information or complaint in the case, the presence of the victim, parents or siblings was necessary, but now the scope has been increased.

It has been proposed that such cases will not be heard by any court below the sessions court and along with this, the bail plea will not be considered without giving an opportunity to the public prosecutor. Also, all the crimes in this category have been made non-bailable.

The state government had earlier issued an ordinance for this in November 2020. Later, after the bill was passed by both the houses of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature, the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act-2021 came into force. The bill has been amended with new rules and punishments.