New Delhi: The Allahabad high court has rejected petitions moved by eight Hindu-Muslim couples, seeking protection of life, on the grounds that their marriages were not in compliance with the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, or commonly known as the anti-conversion law.The couples in question had approached the court seeking directions to authorities concerned to ensure they get protection for their lives and be guaranteed non-interference in their marital lives by others. All of those petitions were dismissed by the court between January 10 and 16.According to the court records, five Muslim men married Hindu women and three Hindu men married Muslim women. The court noted the religions of petitioners in the orders.Justice Saral Srivastava said the petitioners did not follow the due process mandated by the anti-conversion law for inter-faith couples. “In such view of the fact, the relief prayed for by the petitioners cannot be granted. Consequently, the writ petition is dismissed. However, it is open to the petitioners to prefer fresh writ petition in case they solemnise marriage after following the due procedure of law,” the court said in identically-worded orders, according to Bar and Bench.According to the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, and allurement is prohibited. The anti-conversion laws passed by Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh are being currently challenged in the Supreme Court.
