Uttarakhand: Cabinet clears proposal for stricter anti-conversion law, gives nod to shift high court out of Nainital

Uttarakhand government on Wednesday decided to give more teeth to the anti-conversion law by making forced conversion a cognisable offence with provision for a punishment of 10 years imprisonment. The government also gave its approval for shifting the Uttarakhand High Court from Nainital to Haldwani.The decisions were taken at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, official sources said.

Uttarakhand government on Wednesday decided to give more teeth to the anti-conversion law by making forced conversion a cognisable offence with provision for a punishment of 10 years imprisonment. The government also gave its approval for shifting the Uttarakhand High Court from Nainital to Haldwani.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, official sources said. A legislation will soon be brought in the state assembly introducing the amendments in the anti-conversion law, they said. The Uttarakhand Freedom Of Religion Act, 2018, stipulates a prison term of up to five years for anyone convicted of ''forced or fraudulent'' conversion. The proposal to shift the high court to a new location is being opposed by a section of lawyers of the high court who feel it will be a loss for the hill areas of the state and goes against the principles that led to the creation of Uttarakhand.

During the meeting, a total of 26 resolutions were passed by the state cabinet which included rehabilitation of 1,326 families to be affected by the construction of the Jamrani dam and increasing the subsidy on fodder and silage.

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