The Allahabad High Court recently questioned the actions of Uttar Pradesh authorities after they refused to accept a Muslim man’s conversion to Hinduism, despite procedural requirements being fulfilled.
The matter concerned a university assistant professor who claimed he had willingly embraced Hinduism in 2022 after following Sanatan traditions and rituals. He later married a Hindu lecturer. However, tensions arose when the woman’s father objected to the marriage and accused the man of converting for unlawful reasons, resulting in a criminal case being registered against him.
During the hearing, the Court observed that police verification reports had already confirmed the authenticity of the conversion. Even so, the Additional District Magistrate allegedly continued to seek further police investigations and ultimately declined to approve the conversion application.
A Division Bench of Justices Ajit Kumar and Indrajeet Shukla held that the district administration had exceeded its legal authority under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. The Bench clarified that officials are only required to verify whether the legal process under the Act has been followed and cannot reject a conversion merely because a related FIR is under investigation.
The Court emphasised that the petitioner had complied with all statutory formalities, including formally declaring his intention to adopt Hinduism. It added that personal liberty and freedom of religion are constitutionally protected rights, and administrative authorities must act strictly within the limits of the law.
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