Overview

• The Supreme Court agreed to consider a PIL challenging the constitutional validity of Uttar Pradesh's 2024 amendment to its anti-conversion law.
• Petitioners argue that the law violates Articles 14, 19, 21, and 25 of the Constitution, targeting equality, free speech, personal liberty, and religious freedom.
• Concerns raised include vague provisions, expanded complaint-filing powers, and a reverse burden of proof, enabling potential misuse and arbitrary enforcement.
• The plea highlights gender-based presumptions in Section 5, which it claims undermine women’s autonomy by assuming vulnerability to illegal conversions.
• Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna announced the case will be heard on May 13, alongside other petitions challenging similar state laws.