Bhopal: 60 days’ notice mandatory before religious conversion

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The government has made a rule that says before converting to another religion one has to give 60 days’ notice in advance.

A notification in this regard was issued on Friday to control the cases of Love Jihad, official sources said.

The state government made the rule exercising its powers under the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act -2021.

Under the Act, the government has formed the Freedom of Religion Rules-2022 under which it issued the notification.

According to the rule, anyone wishing to convert to another religion has to inform the district magistrate in a prescribed format 60 days in advance.

Similarly, any religious leader, preacher or an authority converting people to other religion have to inform the district magistrate 60 days in advance in a prescribed format.   

According to rule, the district magistrates have to send a monthly report about the religious conversions in their respective areas to the state government before the 10th day of every month.

Besides Love Jihad cases, many incidents of religions conversion took place in different parts of the state.

The police have registered a case against the eight office-bearers of a Christian organisation which was involved in religious conversion in Damoh. A police team went to Kerala to arrest the remaining six accused in the case.