The Supreme Court, on January 6, agreed to examine controversial new laws of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand regulating religious conversions due to inter-faith marriages. But, it refused to stay the controversial provisions of the laws.
A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde issued notices to both Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh state governments on two different petitions.
The bench said that this was not the transfer petition where it could transfer to itself all the cases on the law after one of the petitioners had said that the issue should be examined by the top court.
The pleas, filed by advocate Vishal Thakre and others and an NGO Citizen for Justice and Peace', have challenged the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance, 2020 and the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018 which regulate religious conversions of inter-faith marriages, reported news agency PTI.
At the outset, the top court asked the petitioners to approach the Allahabad High Court after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that it is already seized.
Senior advocate C U Singh, appearing for the NGO, referred to the judgement of Justice (retd) Deepak Gupta and says that similar laws are being made in various states.
He sought stay of the provisions of the law and said that people are being in the middle of wedding ceremonies.
Some of the provisions of these laws are oppressive and horrible in nature and require prior consent of the government to marry which is absolutely obnoxious. - Senior advocate C U Singh
The bench said that it was issuing notice and sought response from both the state governments within four weeks.
When Singh insisted for stay of provisions, the CJI said that the stay was sought on some provisions without hearing the states.
How can it be done? the bench said.
With inputs from PTI
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