Allahabad HC: No Place for Forced Religious Conversions in Constitution

The Allahabad High Court has reaffirmed that while the Constitution of India allows every citizen the freedom to profess and propagate their religion, it does not support religious conversions achieved through coercion or deception.

Allahabad HC.

Justice Vinod Diwaker made the observation while dismissing a plea to quash an FIR against four individuals charged under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021. The accused were alleged to have attempted to convert people to Christianity by offering money and free medical treatment.

The court found the accusations serious enough to merit police investigation, rejecting the argument that the FIR lacked basis.

“The Constitution provides for religious freedom under Article 25, emphasizing that belief and practice must be voluntary,” the court noted. It clarified that the right to propagate religion cannot extend to forced or manipulated conversions.

Justice Diwaker highlighted that Indian secularism is based on respect for all religions, and the state is obligated to maintain neutrality, not endorse or promote any one faith.

The judgment also underlined the constitutional legitimacy of the 2021 UP law, stating its goal is to prevent conversions carried out through fraudulent means, coercion, or as a result of undue influence. Such actions, the court said, can destabilize social harmony and disturb public order.

In a notable interpretation, the bench ruled that a police officer can be treated as an "aggrieved person" under the Act, thus justifying the registration of the FIR even without a direct complaint from the alleged victims. The court based this on broader legal provisions allowing police to intervene in cognizable offences.

The judgment, dated May 7, reinforces the constitutional balance between individual religious liberty and the state’s duty to protect against exploitation in the name of faith.