Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday expunged the Allahabad HC’s remark that majority population of the country would be in minority one day if religious congregations where conversions take place are not stopped.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Manoj Misra passed the order while granting bail to one Kailash against whom a case had been filed under provisions of the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act and under section 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrong fully to confine person) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The top court granted relief to the accused noting that he was in custody since May 21, 2023, and the charge sheet had been submitted on July 19, 2023. “We clarify that the general observations made by the high court had no bearing on the facts of the present case and were, therefore, not required for the disposal of the case. The observations, therefore, shall not be cited in any other case or proceeding in the high court or in any other court,” the bench said.
On July 2, HC, while hearing a bail plea, noted the allegations that the applicant had been taking people from Hamirpur in UP to a religious congregation in Delhi for conversion and said, “If this process is allowed to be carried out, the majority population of this country would be in minority one day…”
