New Delhi, January 16
The Supreme Court on Monday asked all parties challenging the anti-conversion laws of various states to file a common petition seeking transfer of cases from High Courts to it.
“In view of the pendency of matters before diverse High Courts, a transfer petition shall be filed before this court for tagging and transferring of all cases before this court. List the matters after two weeks,” a Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said.
It ordered the listing of all the petitions after two weeks.
Taking note of the submission of senior advocate Dushyant Dave, it also directed deletion of certain aspersions cast on Christians and Muslims in a petition filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay against fraudulent religious conversions.
Attorney General R Venkataramani, who is assisting the Bench in one of the matters, said the HCs should be permitted to continue with the hearing of petitions challenging the anti-conversion laws.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta questioned the locus standi of NGO ‘Citizens for Justice and Peace’ of activist Teesta Setalwad, one of the petitioners which challenged anti-conversion laws.
