Know all about Karnataka's anti-conversion bill

Karnataka legislative assembly passed the controversial anti-conversion bill on December 23, 2021 amid long debates. The bill seeks to curb illegal religious conversions.

The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 was introduced in the state legislative assembly on December 21st and was passed by voice vote amid protests from the opposition that demanded longer debate on the bill.

Former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said that the anti-conversion bill is anti-Constitution and anti-human being. 

It is anti-Constitution and anti-human being: Former Karnataka CM and Leader of Opposition, Siddaramaiah on the state Assembly passing an anti-conversion bill (23.12.2021) pic.twitter.com/yIBQZUXPKt

— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2021

What does Karnataka’s anti-conversion Bill propose?- Know in 7 points

1. The Karnataka Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 prohibits conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, fraud, allurement or marriage.

2. The bill exempts those who reconvert into their immediate previous religion as it will not be deemed to be conversion under the Act.

3. Under the bill's provisions, marriages conducted with the intention of conversion will be deemed null and void. 

4. The bill also provides that family members or any other person related to the individual getting converted can file a complaint against it. 

5. The bill seeks compensation worth Rs 5 lakh for victims of conversion by the persons attempting the conversion and double punishment for repeat offences.

6. The bill makes the offence of conversion cognizable and non-bailable. The bill proposes jail term of up to 3-5 years and a fine of Rs 25,000  for those found guilty of converting people from the general category. 

7. Further, it proposes a jail term of 3-10 years and a fine of Rs 50,000-1 lakh for those converting minors, women or persons from SC/ST communities.

What about those people who want to willingly convert into another religion?

The bill provides that any person intending to convert to another religion will have to notify the district magistrate two months in advance. The person who will carry out the conversion will also have to provide one month's notice to give the district magistrate time to conduct an inquiry through the police on the real purpose of the conversion.

If the two parties fail to notify the authorities, it will result in a jail term of up to 6 months to 3 years for those who convert and a term of 1-5 years for those carrying out conversions.

The bill mandates that those who wish to convert shall give a declaration in a prescribed format at least 30 days in advance to the District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate.

The person who wishes to convert will lose the religion of his origin and the benefits that come with it including reservation. However, those converting will be entitled to the benefits that are attached to the religion he or she is converting into. 

What happens next?

The bill will now be presented in the legislative council, where the state government does not have a majority. 

What happens if the bill is not passed by the Legislative Council?

If the Legislative Council does not pass the anti-conversion bill then the government will have other options, as the legislative councils in the states are not as powerful as the Rajya Sabha. 

Legislative Council can only delay the bill but does not have the authority to make any changes to it. 

If the council rejects the bill, it will go back to the Legislative assembly, which can pass it again with or without amendments and pass it again to Legislative Council.

If the legislative council rejects it for the second time or more than a month has passed since the bill was tabled in the council, then the bill will be considered to have been passed by both the houses of the state legislature.