The Odisha Freedom of Religion Act, 1967

 
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The Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967 
 
Act 2 of 1968 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Keyword(s): 
Conversion, Force, Fraud, Inducement, Minor, Religion 
 
 
'm ORlSSA FREEDOM OF RELIGION 
ACT, 19671 ' 
[Received the assent of the Gowrnor on the 9th JanM 
1968, _firs! publisi~ed in arr extraordinary Issue 
ofthe Orissa Gazette, dated rhe 11th . . 
Jt~l~uary 19681 .. .. . 
. , 
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR PRoI~IB~TION OF QONVERSION 
FROM ONE RELIGION TO ANOTHER BY THB USE OF 
FORCE OR . INDUCEMENT OR ,BY ~UDULENT . 
MEANS AND FOR MAT.TgRS INCIDENTAT, THERETO 
B E it enacted by the Legislature of the State of 
Orissa in the Eighteenth Ydr'of the Republic 
of India, as fo1lows :- 
I. (I) This t. Act may be called the ' 0riss;lkit iihe 
Freedom of Religion Act;. 1967. ~~tp~t. ~O~~ODG& apd, 
mcnL 
(2) It shall extend to the ihole of t-he state 
. of Orissai . , j-/ -'.-. .. 
2. . - . 
'. !.!, 
'1: ' 
(3) It shan come into fork -at on&. , -. -, '. I I. 
2. Io this Act unless the context ':~thelwise.,&i~, . . 
requires- . - 
(a) "con~ersion" means reno.uncing . . one 
religion and , adopting . . another . . ; . . . . , . . .. ., ,. a 
" : . 
(b) " force" shall include a show of;-fijrce 
or a thr~at of injury of any kind incl- 
uding threat of divine displeasure or social 
ex-communication ; 
(c) "fraud" shall include misrepresent at ion or 
any other fraudulent contrivance ; 
(d) "inducement" shall include the offer of any 
gift or gratification, either in cash or in 
kind and shall also include the grant of 
any bnefit, either pecuniary or otherwise; - 
1. For Statemcot of Objects and Reasons See Orka Goze~fe. extraor&. 
nary, daled the 13th Decemhcr. 1967 Wo. 1592). 
(&cs. 3-7); 
cg) cc41j~~'' means.& person .u,nder eighteen 
3, ,: 
years of age.. 
Prohibition 3. NO person shall convert Or attempt to con- 
of conversion. forcible vert, either directly or otherwise, any persfin from 
one religions faith,to: another by the u~elof' force or 
by.-inducement or--by. any fraudulent means nor shall 
any person abet: any : such, conve~gion. 
Punishment 
for contra- 4. Any person contravening the provisions 
vention Of contained in section 3 ..shall, without prejudice to 
the provi- any civil liability, be uuishable with imprisonment of fions of 
section 3. either description w g ich may extend to one year or 
with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees 
or witlid both. : . . 
. , 
Erewidad that; in cue: the! offence is. committed 
in: r,@psct : af 51; t~lim~,. a woman, on a., person 
belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled 
xr;ibes> :tilei ~unlsuuea!, shiS be: imprisonment to 
the- extsnt' 68 two YQaLSi and he up-to .ten thou- 
sand rupees. 
off4p~e. tQ. M &*I.- 5, an offence.mde~this Act shaU be cognizable 
mW* 
m. 
and sbsj! not be- i'svestigated by an Officer below 
. the rank of an Inspector of Police. 
Pmsacution 6. No prosecution for an, offeiice under this 
SIP mti: Act shall b madc. without the sanction of the 
sanctionof Magistrafe of th-~DiStrict or sucil'other .authority, 
' 
tKlow~ 4h& m& of,: a- Subdivisional Wcer, as .- MzgwWe. 
may be authorised by him in that behaIf. 
POWC~ to 7 Thq- State Gbvernmcnt 'may make rules for 
make rub. the purpose of -cmying out the provisions of this 
, , ".. . .- . -. 

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