Supreme Court Summons Government Over Constitutional Challenge to Anti-Conversion Legislation

The Supreme Court of India has issued formal notice to the central government following a constitutional challenge filed by a prominent church association against several state-level anti-conversion laws. This legal confrontation revisits foundational jurisprudence, most notably the 1977 Rev Stanislaus vs State of MP ruling, where the Court upheld the validity of such statutes in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. The Court's 1977 determination established that while the right to propagate religion is a protected fundamental right, it does not inherently encompass a right to convert others. The current petition specifically targets the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967, and the analogous Madhya Pradesh enactment from 1968, the Chhattisgarh Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam—legislation historically framed to regulate the conversion of tribal populations. This judicial development signals a potential re-examination of the delicate balance between religious freedom and state authority to regulate religious practice, a legal frontier that has remained largely static for nearly five decades. The government's forthcoming response will be scrutinized for its stance on this intersection of constitutional rights and public order, setting the stage for a significant doctrinal review.