V. M. KOTHARE,
Secretary to the Government of Gujarat, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Department.
GUJARAT ACT NO. 22 OF 2003.
(First published, after having received the assent of the Governor in the "Gujamt Govemment GazeHe", on the Bth April, 2003).
AN ACT
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"" to provide for freedom'of religion by prohiibition of coversion from one '| religion to another by the use of force or allurement or by ! fraudulent means and for the matters incidental thereto
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It is hereby enacted in the Fifty-fourth Year of the Republic of India as
follows :- . . . . , , . .
1. CI) ThfjS Act may be called the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003. Sun utfe and
" w_mfofufL ' (2) It Shall come- into force on such date as the state Government may, by notiBcation in the Gt]|icm/ Gmenc, appoint.
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2. In this Act, unlas`the context otherwise requires, -
(a) "allurement" means offer of any_tempfa6on in the form of - DefWfdom
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Prohibition of forcible
conversion Punishment for contravention of provisions of section 3. Prior permission to be taken from District
Magistrate with resp ect to conversion. Ci) any gift or grati6cation, either in cash or bud;
(ii) grant of any material benefit, either monetary or othefwlse; Cb) "conven" means to make one penon to renounce one. religion and adopt another religion;
Cc) "force" includes a show of force or a threat of injury .of any kind including threat of divine displeasure or social ex-comrflunlcatlon;
(d) .fraudulent means" includes misrepresentation or any other fraudulent ̀ contrivance;
(e) "minol' means a person under eighteen years of age.
3. No person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religion to another by use of force or by allurement or by any fraudulent means .nor shall any Person .`af)et such conversion.
4. Whoever contravenes the provision of section 3 shall, without Prejudice to any civil liability, be punished with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to three years and also be liable. to fine, which may extend to "l-1Pees fifty thousand:
provided that whoever contravenes the Provisions of section 3 in respect of a minor, a woman or a person belonging to Scheduled Caste or Sceduled Tribe shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to four years and also be liable to fine which may extend to ruPees one lakh.
5. CI) Whoever converts any person from one religion to another either by performing any ceremony by himself for such conversion as a religious Pn:est or takes part directly or indirectly in such ceremony shall' take Prior Permlss'on for such proposed conversion from the District Magistrate concerned by applying in such form as may be prescribed by rules-
(2) The pets6n who is converted shall send an intimation to the District Magistrate of the District concerned in which the ceremony has taken Place of the fact of such conversion within such period and in such form as may be prescribed by rules.
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(3) Whoever fails, without ̀suf6cienf cause, to comply with the provisions of sub-sections CI) and (2) shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, wNch may exWnd to one year or with fine which may extend to rupees one thousand or with both. ' .
6. No pmsecution for an offence under this Act' shall be instituted except by or with the previous sanction of the District Magistrate or such other authority not below the rank of ' a Sub-Dfvisional Magistrate as may be authorised by him in that behalf.
7. An offence under this Act will be cognizable and shaJJ~ not be Offarlee to be investigated by an officer below the rank of a Police Inspector. co8nizabJe-
8. (J) The State Government may, by notifica6on in the 0Lat Gazette, make mies for carrying out the provisions of this Act. CZ) All rules made under this section shall be laid for not less than thiny days before the State Legislature soon as may be after they are made, and shall be subject to rescission by the State Legislature or to such modifications as the State IegisJature may make during the session in which they are so laid or the session immediately following.
(3) Any rescission or modification so made by the State 1-.egisJature shall be published in the 0cz.a/ Gazeue, and shall thereupon take effect.
Power to make rotes
Govcrnmmt Central Press, Ggndhinagar.
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