The Odisha Freedom of Religion Act, 1967

'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 ~ U D U L E N T . 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 i i h e Freedom of Religion Act;. 1967. ~ ~ t p ~ t . ~ O ~ ~ O D G & apd, mcnL (2) It shall extend to t h e ihole of t-he state . of Orissai . , j - / -'.-. .. 2 . . - . '. !.!, ' 1 : ' (3) It shan come into fork -at on&. , - . -, ' . I I . 2. Io th is 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 t h r ~ a t 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 O r k a Goze~fe. extraor&. nary, daled the 13th Decemhcr. 1967 Wo. 1592). (&cs. 3-7); cg) c c 4 1 j ~ ~ ' ' 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 b y 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 h e 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 W c e r , as .- MzgwWe. may be authorised by him in that behaIf. P O W C ~ to 7 Thq- State Gbvernmcnt 'may make rules for make r u b . the purpose of -cmying out the provisions of this , , " . . . .- . - .