In Rev. Stainislaus v. State of M. P., AIR 1977 SC 908, the Supreme Court held that the right to 'propagate' religion under Article 25(1):
Aincludes a fundamental right to convert another person to one's own religion
Bmeans transmitting or spreading one's own tenets, not converting another person
Cis restricted exclusively to Indian citizens and not available to foreigners
Dis absolute and cannot be regulated by any State legislation whatsoever
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. means transmitting or spreading one's own tenets, not converting another person
1. A Constitution Bench in Rev. Stainislaus upheld the M.P. Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam, 1968 and the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967.
2. The Court held that 'propagate' means to transmit or spread one's religion by an exposition of its tenets but does NOT include a right to convert another person to one's own religion.
3. Forcible or fraudulent conversion can therefore be regulated by State law.
4. The right under Article 25 is, in any case, subject to public order, morality and health.
_Source: Constitution of India (Bare Act, updated to 105th Amendment Act 2021), Govt. of India Legislative Dept., Stainislaus v. State of M. P., AIR 1977 SC 908_
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