Uttarakhand HC Orders Police Protection for Interfaith Couple

Recently a Bench of Justices Ravindra Maithani and Sudhanshu Dhulia from Uttrakhand High Court came to the aid of a couple marrying across religion, wherein the woman has moved an application for conversion to Hinduism from Islam before getting married to Hindu husband. 

Couple Suspect threats and attempts to cause physical harm

The couple moved to the High Court on the suspecting that the woman's brothers may physically harm them. The Bench highlighted that they were not commenting on the conversion and  marriage "as it is prima facie in violation of the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018." 

This Act is mainly against any forcible religious conversions and declares any marriage solely done for the purpose of conversion as null and void under section 6 of this act. There is also a provision for penalising religious conversion without a month's prior notice to the concerned District Magistrate.

District Magistrate at Haridwar asked to check application status

The couple informed the Bench that they had moved an application declaring their clear intention for interfaith conversion before the district magistrate as provided under Section 8 of the Act. However, no action was taken on it. In view of the submissions made, the Bench asked the District Magistrate at Haridwar to check the status of the application and inform the Court about the action taken on the same. 

The couple provided with police protection as an interim relief

The matter will be taken up next in March 2021. In the meanwhile, the Court has provided interim relief to the petitioner couple against any suspected physical threat as per the Supreme Court rulings and principles of natural justice.