The Allahabad High Court rejected a Hindu-Muslim couple’s protection plea, noting that the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 has made it mandatory for interfaith couples to seek conversion according to its provisions.

Uttar Pradesh News: The Allahabad High Court has observed that the Uttar Pradesh anti-conversion law not only covers marriages but also applies to live-in relationship. The top court made this observation in a recent judgement while rejecting a plea for police protection by an interfaith couple.

Rejecting a Hindu-Muslim couple’s plea for police protection, Justice Renu Agarwal noted that the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 has made it mandatory for interfaith couples to seek conversion according to its provisions.

Justice Agarwal noted that the anti-conversion law not only applies to marriages but also to live-in relationships.

The top court noted that the petitioners have not applied for religious conversion under the law in accordance with the anti-conversion law and thus cannot be granted police protection.

“In the case at hand, admittedly, none of the petitioners has moved application for conversion of religion in accordance with Section 8 and 9 of the Act. Hence, the relationship of petitioners cannot be protected in contravention of the provisions of law,” the court said.

Denying protection to the interfaith couple, the court said, “Till date, no FIR has been lodged by the parents of any of the petitioner, therefore, there is no challenge to the relationship of petitioners.”

Section 3(1) of the Act bars religious conversion through “misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means”.

An explanation to the section has equated solemnisation of a marriage with a relationship in the “nature of marriage”, the court pointed out.

“Petitioners have not yet applied for conversion as per provisions of Section 8 and 9 of the Act, hence, the relationship of petitioners cannot be protected in contravention of the provisions of law,” the court said.

In its order dated March 5, the high court said, “No proof of joint account, financial security, joint property or joint expenditure is produced before this Court. Petitioners have not applied for conversion so far.”

(With PTI inputs)