Punishment for Anti-Sacrilege Bill in 2025: However, Leader of the Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa stated that party leaders require time to effectively formulate their opinions on the proposed legislation. Subsequently, the Speaker adjourned the discussion on the bill until Tuesday.
What constitutes an offence?
What is the offence of Anti-Sacrilege? Under this bill, the offence includes the defilement, damage, destruction, disfigurement, distortion, degradation, burning, breaking, or tearing of any holy scripture or any part thereof. Offences under this act will be cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable, and will be tried by a Sessions Court. The investigation of this offence will not be conducted by a police officer below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Life imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹20 lakh
The proposed law reportedly prescribes stringent punishment, including life imprisonment, for the insult of holy scriptures, including the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Bible, and Quran. The bill proposes that any person found guilty of desecration can face imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment, along with a fine ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh. Those attempting to desecrate religious texts may face imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of up to ₹3 lakh.
₹20 lakh fine for inciting riots or causing death
Punishment For Anti-Sacrilege activities? The bill proposes that if the desecration of religious texts or institutions leads to communal riots, loss of human life, or damage to public or private property, the offenders can face imprisonment ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment, along with a fine of ₹10-20 lakh. There is no provision for parole or furlough for those receiving the maximum sentence or failing to pay the fine.
Recommendation made by the Akali and BJP coalition government
In 2016, the then Akali-BJP government proposed the IPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the CrPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2016, recommending life imprisonment for acts of desecration against the Guru Granth Sahib. The central government refused to approve the bill, stating that equal treatment should be given to all religions, considering the secular nature of the Constitution.
Recommendation for Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran…
In 2018, Captain Amarinder Singh’s Congress government passed two bills – the ‘Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2018’ and the ‘Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2018’, which provided for life imprisonment for damaging or desecrating the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran, and Bible. However, neither bill received Presidential assent.
Over 100 desecration incidents in five years
According to Punjab’s intelligence department, more than 100 desecration incidents have occurred in the last five years. Although sections 298, 299, and 300 of the Indian Penal Code 2023 address such issues, they are insufficient. This is why the lack of a law directly addressing offences against ‘holy scriptures’ often leads to leniency or a failure to take strong action against the culprits.
