Haryana govt notifies rules under anti-conversion law, DMs to invite objections

The Haryana government has notified rules to implement its law against religious conversion through force undue influence or allurement under which district magistrates will have to publish a public notice and invite objections if any to an intended conversionThe state assembly had passed the Haryana Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill in March this year The anticonversion law was notified a month later after the governors assent The new rules Haryana Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Rules 2022 were notified on December 15 under the Act for implementation after the state cabinet recently approved themSimilar bills were passed in the recent past in BJPruled states including Himachal Pradesh and Uttar PradeshAccording to the notified rules any person intending to convert to another religion shall prior to such conversion give a declaration in Form A to the district magistrate of the district in which he is permanently residingIn case the person intended to be converted is a minor both of the parents or surviving parent as the case may be shall give a declaration in Form B Any religious priest andor any person who intends to organise conversion under the Act shall give prior notice in Form C to the district magistrate of the district where such conversion is proposed to be organised the rules stateAlso read MP Raghav Chadha seeks stringent punishment for perpetrators of sacrilege in PunjabThe district magistrates will have to publish a public notice and invite objections in writing if any to the intended conversionSuch notices will be put up in the district magistrates office once a declaration is made by a person who intends to convert to another religion willfully without any misrepresentation use of force threat undue influence coercion allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage or for marriageWhile making a declaration before the district magistrate such individuals will have to specify details like reason for conversion how long they have been professing the religion which they have decided to renounce whether they belong to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe occupation and monthly incomeThe district magistrate shall on the receipt of written objections to such intended conversion verify and get the matter inquired into by such officer or agency as he may deem fit the rules stateUpon verification if the district magistrate finds that force or inducement has been used or is likely to be used in any conversion and that a conversion has taken place without notice he may refer the case along with all material adduced during the course of the inquiry to the concerned police station for registration of a case and its investigationThe district magistrate if satisfied that the conversion is willful and without any misrepresentation use of force threat undue influence coercion allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage or for marriage will issue a certificate to that effect the rules stateAny person aggrieved by any order of a district magistrate passed under the relevant provisions of the Act may file an appeal within 30 days from the date of receipt of a certified copy of the order before the concerned divisional commissionerA priest or any person who intends to organise the conversion will have to seek prior permission from the district magistrate giving full details of such a ceremony according to the rules Under the Act in cases where courts declare such marriage as null and void the law provides the right to maintenance to the victim husband or wife and the minor child born out of wedlock until he or she turns adult though it will continue in case the child is physically challengedAccording to the anticonversion law the burden of proof as to whether the conversion was not effected through misrepresentation force undue influence coercion marriage or any other fraudulent means done for the purpose of carrying out conversion lies on the accusedFurther if the conversion is done by allurement use of force coercion or fraudulent means including the use of digital mode there is a provision for imprisonment of one to five years and a fine of not less than Rs 1 lakhAnyone concealing his religion with an intention to marry shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than three years which may extend up to 10 years and shall be liable to pay a fine not less than Rs 3 lakhAnyone conducting a mass conversion is punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years and may extend up to 10 years and shall also be liable to pay a fine not less than Rs 4 lakh according to the lawThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever