Karnataka government to repeal Anti-Conversion Law

The Congress-led government in Karnataka has reportedly decided to repeal the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022, the anti-conversion law introduced by the former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government..The law prohibited unlawful conversions from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement, or any fraudulent means..The Karnataka legislative assembly passed the controversial Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 in In December 2021,The Indian National Congress (INC) party, which was part of the opposition at the time, and the Janata Dal (Secular) opposed the Bill, which later became an Act in September 2022. The INC recently formed the State government in Karnataka after winning the legislative assembly elections last month. .Section 3 of the Bill criminalizes conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, allurement, or by a promise of marriage. Any contravention of the Section was punishable with imprisonment for a term of three years, which could extend to five years, and a fine of ₹25,000.If the conversion involved a minor child or a person of unsound mind or a woman or a person belonging to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, the imprisonment term imposed was to be extended to ten years along with a fine of ₹25,000.The Bill made it mandatory for a person who converts to another religion to declare their intention before such conversion and at least thirty days in advance to the concerned District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate..The burden of proof to show that a religious conversion was not effected through misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement, or by any fraudulent means or by marriage, lay on the person who caused the conversion and on any abettor aiding or abetting such conversion.