Supreme Court quashes ‘mass conversion’ FIRs: What it means for anti-conversion laws in India
Senior Advocate Rebecca John speaks to The Hindu about the implications of the Fatehpur case verdict on the misuse of anti-conversion laws as a tool for persecution
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Show Notes
In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court of India quashed multiple FIRs filed under Uttar Pradesh’s anti-conversion law on October 17, 2025. The court found that the FIRs were marred by “legal flaws, procedural errors, and lacked credible evidence”, and ruled that continuing such prosecutions would amount to a “travesty of justice”.
The ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications for the State, and is being seen as a critical pushback against the misuse of these laws as instruments of intimidation and persecution. The decision also comes at a time when the Supreme Court in a separate case is considering the constitutional validity of the anti-conversion laws passed by multiple States.
So, what are the implications of the SC quashing the FIRs in UP? What is the ground reality in the States that have enacted these laws? And are they safeguarding citizens from forced conversion or enabling the policing of personal belief and identity?
Guest: Rebecca John, Senior Advocate
Host: Reuben Joe Joseph
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian
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