Dehradun

The Uttarakhand Cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments to the anti-conversion law to make it harsher, with stringent provisions like punishment up to life imprisonment and heavy fines being added to the new bill.

The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill-2025 was approved in the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, official sources said.

According to the bill, apart from strict punishment for illegal religious conversion, provisions such as ban on propaganda through digital medium and protection of victims have been added, they said.

The definition of inducement has been expanded in the bill to include gifts, cash/goods benefits, employment, free education, promise of marriage, hurting religious faith or glorifying another religion, categorising all of them as crime.

It makes punishable the acts like promoting or inciting conversion through social media, messaging app or any online medium.

There is a provision in the bill for three to 10 years imprisonment for general violation, five to 14 years in cases related to sensitive class and 20 years to life imprisonment in serious cases and heavy fines.

The proposed bill also makes a provision for strict punishment for marriage by creating fake identity or hiding religion besides making a provision for protection, rehabilitation, medical, travel and maintenance expenses of the victims of illegal conversions.

ALSO READ: 10 iconic women whose influence shaped bold Indian womanhood

According to the state government, the proposed legislation will protect the religious rights of the citizens, prohibit conversion by fraud, inducement or pressure and maintain social harmony, the sources said.