SC quashes FIRs as it flags constitutional doubts over UP’s anti-conversion law

The court clarified that it was not formally adjudicating the Act’s constitutional validity in this case.

Raising serious questions about the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, the Supreme Court on Friday observed that several provisions of the law may falter under the tests of privacy, proportionality and constitutionality, as it quashed multiple FIRs against officials of a private university accused of illegal conversions.

The court specifically expressed concern over Sections 8 and 9, which respectively deal with the statutory requirement and procedure for pre- and post-conversion. (FILE)

Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra described the statutory procedure for pre- and post-conversion declarations as “onerous” and noted the “conspicuous involvement” of the state in matters essentially