'Conversion just for the purpose of marriage unacceptable' says Allahabad High Court

In a recent judgement on a petition filed by a married couple, the Allahabad High Court has observed that conversion just for the purpose of marriage is unacceptable. Priyanshi alias Samreen and her partner had in their writ petition, filed in Allahabad HC, seeked directions to police and the girl's father not to interfere in their married life.

Dismissing the petition filed by the married couple, HC said, “The court has found the first petitioner (the woman) has converted her religion on June 29, 2020 and solemnised marriage on July 31, which clearly reveals the conversation has taken place only for the purpose of marriage.'

The court made the comments after finding that the petitioner, a Muslim woman had converted to Hinduism and within a month later married a Hindu boy as per Hindu rituals.

In the petition, the couple had stated that they had married in July this year, but the girl's family members were interfering in their married life.

In his order passed on September 23, Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi stated, 'keeping in view the facts and circumstances this court is not inclined to interfere in the matter under Article 226 of Constitution of India'. The court then dismissed the writ petition.

According to the order, 'This much is reflected from the record that the first petitioner is Muslim by birth and she converted her religion from Muslim to Hindu on 29.6.2020. The petitioners solemnized their marriage according to Hindu rites and rituals on 31.7.2020.'

It further stated, 'The court has perused the record in question and found that the first petitioner converted her religion on 29.6.2020 and just after one month, they solemnized their marriage on 31.7.2020, which clearly reveals to this court that said conversion has taken place only for the purpose of marriage.'

The court in its judgment, referred to the 2014 order in Noor Jahan Begum, alias Anjali Mishra and Another versus the state of UP and others, along with connected cases decided by same court on December 16, 2014. The court observed that 'conversion just for the purpose of marriage is unacceptable'.