Inter Faith Marriages in India with Special Reference to Anti-Conversion Laws

There are a vast number of religious differences and problems for a nation that prides itself on being secular and tolerant. This paper examines interfaith marriages in India. Though interfaith marriages are a relatively limited proportion of all marriages in India, it involves many individuals when we consider the sheer population of India. Being an interfaith couple in India is getting more difficult by the day, apart from the social pressure that wells up, couples also face difficulties posed to them by complex and rigid laws. These problems make it increasingly difficult for our secular country to be truly harmonious. This paper takes a close look at how individuals who practice different religions tend to get married, while also focusing on the problems and roadblocks they face. In this paper we study how there are multiple ways in which interfaith couples can get married, first of all, through The Special Marriage Act. We then look at how a interfaith marriage is solemnized under the Special Marriage Act and also highlight that when married through The Special Marriage Act, couples face different difficulty and obstacles, and thus prefer to opt for the other ways to solemnize marriage. The other fairly easy way requires conversion of one of the party to the marriage, and post conversion, the marriage is solemnized under the personal laws of the couple. This paper then comes across laws that have just been introduced, which put additional checks or barriers in the couple's way. This paper presents points from both those in support and those against the provisions of the anti-conversion law before concluding with the authors' opinions.