In a noteworthy development, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna on Wednesday listed a batch of petitions challenging anti-conversion laws for detailed hearing during the week beginning May 13, 2025 — a date that coincides with the final day of his tenure.
The matter was mentioned before the bench comprising CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar by BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, who urged the court to urgently take up his Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging alleged illegal religious conversions and defending state anti-conversion statutes.
The CJI, responding to the request, stated:
“We need to hear this matter in detail. List it in the week commencing May 13.”
CJI is set to retire on that day, and Justice BR Gavai is scheduled to take oath as the next CJI on May 14.
During the brief exchange, Advocate Upadhyay passionately argued, “My Lords, religious conversion is akin to waging a war. Every day, 10,000 Hindus are being converted.” He asserted that the issue was urgent and required immediate attention, claiming that thousands of Hindus were being illegally converted daily and that existing anti-conversion laws were crucial for protecting religious freedom.
The bench, however, refused to entertain arguments in isolation and insisted that all stakeholders must be heard. “Why are you arguing? Have we heard the other side? We must hear them first,” the bench told Upadhyay, signalling its intent to hear the matter comprehensively and fairly.
Multiple petitions are pending before the Supreme Court challenging anti-conversion laws enacted by several states, including:
- Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2019
- Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Ordinance, 2020
- Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance, 2020
- Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act
These laws primarily aim to regulate religious conversions and prohibit conversions through force, fraud, or inducement. However, critics argue that such laws are being misused to target specific religious communities, particularly Muslims, and infringe on the constitutional right to freedom of religion.
In 2021, the Supreme Court had also allowed Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind to intervene in the proceedings, acknowledging their concerns about the discriminatory application of such laws against Muslims.
The decision to list the case on the very week of CJI Khanna’s retirement has drawn attention, raising speculation on whether he will get the opportunity to hear the matter in full or pass any preliminary observations before demitting office.
