The Apex Court allowed Jamiat Ulema-E-Hind to intervene in petitions filed for challenging the laws enacted by Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand etc. on inter-religious marriages and religion conversion.
Jamiat Ulema-E-Hind is a body of Islamic scholars and the counsel appearing for this body filed an impleadment application to act as respondent against the “love jihad” laws.
The bench inquired about the locus standi held by this body, to which the counsel replied that the Muslim youths are aggrieved and harassed by these laws.
This plea was heard along with the two major PILs filed for challenging the religious conversion laws, and the bench allowed the impleadment application.
Originally, the PILs were filed to challenge the “love jihad” laws enacted by Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Upon the enactment of similar laws by Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh government, the petitioners sought for amendment in order to challenge the latter enactments as well.
The amendment application had been filed on the grounds that these two acts come within the allegations which had been raised against the enactments in the original PIL.
However, under various instances, the Supreme Court has refused to entertain the petitions filed to challenge the love jihad laws. They did not allow the petitions and asked the petitioners to approach respective High Courts.
According to the petitioners, the inter-religious marriage and religion conversion laws violate citizens’ right under Article 21 as their privacy is not restored.
Moreover, the state governments, by issuing such laws, are on the verge to control the life and decisions of citizens’.
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