Supreme Court says not all religious conversions are illegal. The Supreme Court observed the observation while hearing a plea against the High Court judgment which struck down the provision of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act that required an affidavit to be given to the District Magistrate before conversion. A bench comprising Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar refused to stay the High Court verdict.
The Madhya Pradesh government approached the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict. Appearing for the state government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta pointed out in the Supreme Court that post-conversion marriages have not been banned. Tushar Mehta pointed out that the law only stipulates that the conversion for marriage should be reported to the District Magistrate.
However, the Supreme Court refused to urgently stay the High Court verdict. The Supreme Court issued a notice to the opposing parties in the case on the petition of the state government. The Supreme Court decided to hear the case in detail on February 7. The High Court had ruled that those who violate the provision of the law to give an affidavit to the District Magistrate before converting, should not be arrested.
