Punjab Introduces India’s First Anti-Sacrilege Bill: What It Means and Why It Matters

Punjab, July 15, 2025: The Punjab government on Monday, July 14, introduced the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025, in the state Assembly. The bill proposes life imprisonment for acts of sacrilege against any religious scripture. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann tabled the bill, describing it as the first of its kind in India.

The bill was introduced following approval from the state Cabinet, which met earlier in the day under Mann's leadership. “This is the first such bill to be introduced by any state,” Mann told PTI, adding, “I hope the anti-sacrilege bill gets passed tomorrow in the Assembly.”

The proposed law provides:

• 10 years to life imprisonment, along with a fine between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh, for anyone convicted of desecrating any religious scripture.
• 3 to 5 years of imprisonment, with a fine of up to ₹3 lakh, for attempting to commit such an offence.
• Punishment for abetment will correspond to the main offence committed.

Sacrilege is defined in the bill as including the burning, tearing, defacing, damaging, destroying, discolouring, defiling, decomposing, or breaking of a holy scripture or any part of it.

The bill covers scriptures across religions, including the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Bible, and Quran.

All offences under this law are:

• Cognisable (police can arrest without a warrant),
• Non-bailable, and
• Non-compoundable (cases cannot be settled outside court).

Only a police officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or above can investigate cases under this bill. Trials will be conducted in sessions courts.

Once passed, this legislation will be implemented throughout the state of Punjab. The bill further states that its provisions are in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other law currently in force. This means it will supplement other legal provisions rather than override them.

The Legislative Process

Before the bill was introduced, the Speaker adjourned the House for one hour to allow floor leaders to be informed about the introduction. After proceedings resumed, the bill was formally tabled by the Chief Minister.

The Speaker had allocated debate time as follows: 1 hour and 35 minutes for the ruling AAP, 16 minutes for the Congress, and a few minutes each for SAD, BJP, BSP, and Independents. However, the Leader of the Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, requested that the discussion be held on Tuesday, saying the bill had only just been received.

“This is a serious issue. We need time to prepare. Either hold the debate tomorrow or send it to a select committee,” said Bajwa, who also noted that the bill would require Presidential assent.

Mann agreed to the postponement, though he pointed out that media reports had indicated in advance that the bill would be introduced during the current Assembly session.

“This is not just your issue or my issue—it concerns the entire society,” Mann said. He also stated that the delay would allow members to come prepared for a fuller debate.

Background: Previous Attempts

This is not the first time Punjab has tried to enact such legislation. In 2016, the then SAD-BJP government passed the IPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, and CrPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, seeking to impose life imprisonment for sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib. The Centre returned those bills, citing concerns that they addressed only one religion.

In 2018, the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government passed two bills—the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 and Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018—which extended protection to scriptures from other religions as well. However, those bills did not receive Presidential assent and were returned.

Statement from the Government

An official spokesperson stated that the bill aims to provide a comprehensive legal framework to penalise acts of sacrilege. The spokesperson added that sections 298, 299, and 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, already address religious offences, but do not carry penalties considered stringent enough in the context of sacrilege.

The Cabinet noted that the bill aims to address this gap by introducing stricter punishment, providing clarity in legal definitions, and ensuring that the law applies across faiths.

While the bill has been introduced, it is expected to be discussed in detail on Tuesday. It may also be referred to a select committee for further consultation with stakeholders before any final vote.

By Catholic Connect Reporter

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