The Madhya Pradesh council of ministers today cleared the ‘Freedom of Religion Bill, 2020’ in the form of an ordinance. The cabinet also passed 11 other ordinances at its virtual meeting chaired by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The freedom of religion Bill and other Bills were subsequently sent to the Governor for final approval. Once the governor signs on the ordinances, they would be enacted as laws in the state.
Interestingly, Madhya Pradesh in-charge governor Anandiben Patel would become the governor signing the freedom of religion Bill in two states.
Once she signs the ordinance in MP, as the state’s acting governor, she would become the Governor to sign the bill in two states. The BJP state government would have to get all the 12 Bills passed in the State Assembly within six months of their being approved through ordinances.
The Bills were converted into ordinances as the proposed Assembly session from 28 December had to be postponed after at least five MLAs of the state and more than 60 employees of the Assembly tested positive for Covid-19 just a few days before the scheduled start of the session.
The MP ‘Freedom of Religion Bill, 2020’ proposes a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh and jail of up to 10 years to anyone who forcefully or by misrepresentation through marriage abets the religious conversion of a woman, minor or person of Scheduled Caste or Tribe.
The Bill also proposes that if such a marriage gets broken and is legally declared null and void, still the woman would be eligible to receive financial support from the husband. Similarly, children born from such marriages would be legal heirs in the father’s property.