The Allahabad High Court upheld a First Information Report against four individuals accused of converting people to Christianity through financial incentives and free healthcare. The court emphasized the need for police investigation, clarified limits on religious conversion under the Constitution, and outlined the purpose of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is protesting in Telangana against the Waqf Amendment Act, claiming it unlawfully seizes Muslim Waqf properties and violates minority rights. They assert the amendments undermine constitutional protections and threaten Muslim autonomy in managing religious endowments. The AIMPLB has filed a Supreme Court challenge and initiated nationwide protests.
New Delhi: 2nd May: The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear a petition that challenges the constitutional validity of the amended Uttar Pradesh law on unlawful religious conversion, introduced in 2024. A bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan considered the arguments made by senior advocate S Muralidhar.
The central government opposed any stay on the new Waqf laws during a Supreme Court hearing, asserting the laws’ constitutional validity. The government argued that courts cannot halt statutory provisions. Petitioners, challenging the laws’ constitutionality, claim they violate fundamental rights and interfere with the Muslim community’s autonomy in managing Waqf affairs.
Today, On 9th April, Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, Zia Ur Rehman Barq, has filed a case in the Supreme Court against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. He said the new law is unfair to the Muslim community. According to him, it puts special restrictions on Waqf properties that are not there for other religions. He believes this law is against the idea of equality and religious freedom in India.
The Allahabad High Court ruled that conversion to Islam is valid if done voluntarily, with free will, and by a person of sound mind. The court made this observation while dismissing a plea by Taufik Ahmad, who sought to quash rape and unlawful conversion charges against him.It emphasized that forced or coerced conversions cannot be legally recognized, reinforcing the principle of religious freedom.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave asserted that the only appropriate step the Chief Justice of India could take is to withdraw judicial work from Justice Shekhar Yadav. He also highlighted Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s warning against interfering with cultural and religious rights, emphasizing that they were part of the agreement reached before Partition.
