New Delhi, Feb 3: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea challenging the validity of laws enacted by States, including Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which deal with religious conversion by marriage and others.
A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, while saying that the petitioner should approach the concerned high court, observed that the issue raised is important and the high courts of Allahabad and Uttarakhand are already dealing with petitions on it.
“We are not on merits at all. Allahabad and Uttarakhand high courts are entertaining similar petitions. We are not denying the importance of matter at all. We are saying we would like to have the benefit of high courts’ view,” said the bench, also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.
Senior advocate Sanjay Parikh, appearing for the petitioner, said they have challenged the laws enacted by three States as innocent persons are being booked under these Acts. He said the top court had earlier issued notice on similar petitions and this plea should be tagged with them.
Sanjay Parikh, senior counsel for the petitioners seeks permission to withdraw the writ petition with liberty to approach the high court. The writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn with liberty as prayed for, the bench said in its order.
On January 25, the top court had refused to transfer to itself the petitions filed in the Allahabad High Court challenging the new State law.
The bench had said that it would like to have the advantage of the high court order. Taking note of the observation by the apex court, the Uttar Pradesh government had preferred to withdraw the transfer petition.
Before that, on January 6, the apex court had agreed to examine the new laws of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand regulating religious conversions by marriage. However, it had refused to stay the controversial provisions of the laws and had issued notices to both the State governments on two separate petitions. – PTI
