Keyword(s):
Act Repealed by 10 of 2006, Allurement, Convert, Force, Fraudulent, Minor,
Religion
The following Act of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly received the assent of the
Governor on the 2nd December 2002 and is hereby published for general it~fonnation:-
1 ACT No. 56 OP 2002.
An Act to provide-for prohibition of conversion from one religion to another by the use
of force or. allurement or by fraudulent means and for matters incidental thereto.
BE it enacted by the 1.egislative Assembly of the State of Tamil Nadu in the
Fifty-third Year of the Repulotic of India as follows:-
- ( 1 ) This Act tnay be called the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Forcible Conversion of short title and
Religion Act, 2002. ccnnmencmrmt. .
(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 5th day of October 2002. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,- Definitions.
(a) “allurement” means offer of any’ternptation in the form of-
(i) any gift or gratification either in cash or kind;
(ii) grant of any material benefit, either monetary or otherwise;
(6) “convert”n~al~s to make one person to renout.lce one religion and adopt
another religion;
I (c),”force” includes a show of force or a threat of injury of any kind including
threat of divine displeasure or social ex-communication;
1 (d) “fraudulent means” includes misrepresentation or any other fraudulent
306 TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EX’I’KAORDINP,K\’
(e) “minor” means a person under eighteen years of age.
IJjohibition of 3. No person sliall convert or attenrpt to convert. either dlrectly or otherwise, ally
forcible ‘ person from one religion to another by use of force or by allurement or by any fraudule~li
‘conversion. means nor shall any person abet any such conversion.
Punishnient for 4. Whoever contravcnes the provisions of section 3 shall, witlrout prejudice to any
civi1 liability, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years of provisions
of section 3. and also be liable to fine which may extend to fifty thousand rupees:
Provided that whoever contraveries the provisions of section 3 in respect of a
minor, a woman or a person belonging to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tr’be shall be
punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to four years and also be liable
to fine which may extend to one lakh rupees.
Intimation to be 5. (1) Whoever converts any person from one religion to another either by performing
given to any ceremony by himself for such conversion as a religious priest or by taking part directly
District or indirectly in such ceremony shall, within such period as nlay be prescribed, send an
Magistrate
with respect to intimatlo.. +- the District Magistrate of the district in which the ceremony has taken place
conversion. uf the fact of such conversion in such form as may be prescribed.
(2) Whoever fails, without sufficient cause, to comply with the provisions of
sub-section (I), shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to one
year or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or wit,] both.
Prosecution to be 6. No prosecution for an oifence under this Act shall be instituted cxcept hy or with
with the the previous sanction of the District Magistrate or such other aathority, not below the rank
sanction of District
(2) Every rule made under this Act shall as soon as possible after it is made be
placed on the table of the Legislative Assern’sly, and if before the expiry of the session
in which it is so placed or the next session. the Assembly makes any modification in any
such rule or the Assembly decides that the rule should no: be made, the rule shall
thereafter have effect ollly in such modified form, or be of no effect, a3 the case may be,
so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the
validity oC anything previously done under that rule.
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