Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (Retd) has returned two key amendment bills from the Pushkar Singh Dhami government for reconsideration due to technical and drafting issues.
Bill Details
The bills include amendments to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act, aimed at stricter measures against forced or fraudulent conversions. The anti-conversion amendments propose 3-10 years jail for fraudulent conversions, escalating to 5-14 years if victims are minors, women, SC/ST, or disabled, with fines starting at Rs 50,000.
Reasons for Return
Governor’s office cited grammatical errors, clerical issues, drafting flaws, and unclear prison terms as grounds for sending back the bills earlier this month. These were passed in the state assembly’s monsoon session in August 2025 amid opposition protests.
Government Response
Officials plan to redraft the bills addressing the flaws, then either repass them in the assembly or issue an ordinance for immediate effect and resubmit for assent. Congress has criticized the move as a political tactic ahead of 2027 elections.
Uttarakhand Governor returns Uniform Civil Code, anti-conversion amendment bills
