The Rajasthan government on February 3 introduced the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025 in the State Assembly..The Bill seeks to criminalise religious conversion through force, fraud, coercion or marriage.The Bill comprises 16 sections. Below are the key provisions of the proposed law. Section 3 of the Bill prohibits religious conversions through false representation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, or inducement."No person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any other person from one religion to another by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means. No person shall abet, convince or conspire such conversion," it reads.Section 4 states that an FIR for unlawful conversion can be filed by the affected person, their parents, siblings or any close relative by blood, marriage or adoption if the conversion violates Section 3..Section 5 prescribes punishment for violating Section 3. As per this section, a person found guilty may face imprisonment from 1 to 5 years and a minimum fine of ₹15,000. However, if the offence involves a minor, a woman or a person from a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, the punishment increases to 2 to 10 years of imprisonment with a minimum fine of ₹25,000."Whoever having been previously convicted of an offence under this Act is again convicted of an offence punishable under this Act, shall be liable for every such subsequent offence to punishment not exceeding double the punishment provided therefor under this Act," the Bill states..Section 6 states that any marriage conducted solely for unlawful religious conversion, whether before or after marriage, will be declared void by the family court or the relevant court. Either spouse can file a petition challenging the validity of such a marriage..The Bill also prescribes the manner in which a person can undergo religious conversion. Section 8 mandates that anyone intending to convert their religion must submit a declaration at least 60 days in advance to the District Magistrate, confirming that the conversion is voluntary and not due to force, coercion, or inducement.Additionally, the person performing the conversion ceremony must notify the District Magistrate at least one month before the event. Upon receiving these declarations, the authorities will conduct an inquiry to verify the intention behind the conversion.Failure to comply will render the conversion illegal and void. Those violating the declaration requirement may face imprisonment of six months to three years and a minimum fine of ₹10,000. Those violating the notification requirement for conversion ceremonies may face imprisonment of one to five years and a minimum fine of ₹25,000..Section 9 requires a person who has converted to another religion, to submit a declaration to the District Magistrate within 60 days of conversion.The District Magistrate will display the declaration on the office notice board until confirmation. The declaration must include details such as the convert's name, birth date, address, family details, previous and new religion, date and place of conversion and the process followed.The converted individual must personally appear before the District Magistrate within 21 days to verify their identity and confirm the declaration. The details will then be recorded in an official register.Failure to comply with these requirements will render the conversion illegal and void..Further, Section 12 provides that the responsibility to prove that a religious conversion was conducted voluntarily, without misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement, fraud, or marriage, rests on the person who carried out the conversion. If another person facilitated the conversion, they also bear the burden of proof, it adds.Section 13 of the Bill grants immunity to authorities from prosecution or legal action for any acts carried out under the proposed law..[Read Bill]
