SC to hear petitions against law by states on interfaith marriages on February 3

The Supreme Court will take up on February 3 a clutch of pleas challenging the anti-conversion law passed by some states that bans conversion for the purpose of inter-faith marriage.

During the brief hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha and Justice JB Pardiwala, senior advocate CU Singh, appearing on behalf of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), a non-government organisation of activist Teesta Setalwad, argued that people are afraid of getting married due to this law.

Appearing on behalf of the Centre, Attorney General R Venkataramani argued that it is a state legislation and the high courts concerned should hear the cases.


Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the parties challenging the anti-conversion law to file a common petition seeking a transfer of the cases on the issue from the high courts to the top court.

Through a preliminary affidavit filed on Monday, the central government urged the top court to not hear the plea moved by the NGO, accusing it of acting on the behest of selected political interest. The Centre alleged that the CJP consciously espouses and promotes issues that fan "divisive politics" in order to divide society along religious and communal lines.

Last year, a bench headed by Justice MR Shah had said that religious conversion is a serious issue that should not be given a political colour. The court had sought the attorney general's assistance on the issue.