On December 22, 2021, the Legislative Assembly, Karnataka introduced the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 and was passed by the Assembly on December 23, 2021.
Key Features:
- Section 3 provides for “Prohibition of conversion from one religion to another religion by misrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by promise of marriage”.
- Section 4 which specify “Person competent to lodge complaint”
“Any converted person, his parents, brother, sister or any other person who is related to him by blood, marriage or adoption or in any form associated or colleague may lodge a complaint of such conversion which contravenes the provisions of section 3”
- Section 5 dealing with Punishment for contravention of provisions of Section 3 shall be liable for imprisonment of either description for a term of three years but which may extend to five years and also be liable to a fine of Rs. twenty five thousand.
- Section 6 provides where marriage is done with a sole purpose of unlawful conversion.
- Section 8 provides for “Declaration before conversion of religion and pre-report about conversion”.
- Section 12 provides for “burden of Proof”:
“The burden of proof as to whether a religious Conversion was not effected through misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage, lies on the person who has caused the conversion and on the abettor who aids or abets such conversion”