Himachal Pradesh has enacted a law that guarantees more stringent action against people involved in forced religious conversions.

The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2019, replaces a 2006 law that was repealed by the state assembly. The law has come into force in the state a year after it was passed by the assembly.

In this act, there is a provision for stringent punishment of up to seven years in jail compared to the three years under the previous law. The Act prohibits conversion by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, inducement, marriage or any fraudulent means.

The development comes in the backdrop of the Uttar Pradesh government notifying an ordinance last month against forcible or fraudulent religious conversion that provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 50,000 under different categories.

According to the new Act, if Dalits, women, or minors were made to convert, the jail term will be between two-seven years.

Section 10 of the Act states that no person or organisation violating the provisions will be allowed to accept any donation or contribution of any kind from within or outside the country.

(With inputs from agencies)