Supreme court refused UP government for the transfer of petitions challenging the ordinance on religious conversion from High Court to Supreme Court Admin Mon, Jan 25, 2021, at ,02:39 PM The Supreme Court refused to transfer to itself the petitions filed in Allahabad High Court challenging the ordinance brought by the Uttar Pradesh government against religious conversions, which among other things, criminalizes religious conversions for marriage. The Bench sternly remarked, "We have issued notice does not mean High Court cannot decide. People are making light of High Courts these days. High Court is a constitutional court." PS Narasimha, appearing for the UP Government, had urged the Supreme Court to allow the transfer application to avoid multiplicity of proceeding before the High Court and the Supreme Court The controversial ordinance titled, Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 (Uttar Pradesh Vidhi Virudh Dharma Samparivartan Pratishedh Adhyadhesh, 2020 in Hindi) was cleared by the UP State Cabinet in November and was signed off by the State Governor, Anandiben Patel on November 28. The ordinance lays down a detailed procedure to be followed before an individual can convert from one religion to another. Violation of the same entails criminal liability on the individual who undergoes conversion and the individual who converts the person