On Monday, February 2, 2026, the Supreme Court asked the Centre and 12 States, including Rajasthan and Arunachal Pradesh, to respond to a fresh PIL by the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI). The PIL challenges the validity of their anti-conversion laws. Senior advocate Meenakshi Arora represented NCCI and sought a stay on these laws. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the plea and ordered the Centre and States to file responses within four weeks. The court also decided that these fresh petitions will be heard alongside pending ones by a three-judge bench. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the Centre's reply is nearly ready and will be submitted soon. Ms. Arora pointed out that Odisha and Rajasthan have new laws not covered in earlier petitions. She requested serving notices to all involved parties. The bench ordered notice to the Centre and 12 States: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh. It also asked the respondents to file a common counter affidavit. NCCI's counsel highlighted concerns that some State laws encourage vigilante complaints over so-called forced conversions. The law officer opposed this, citing a previous five-judge bench judgement upholding these laws. Previously, the court had sought responses from States on petitions to stay their anti-conversion laws. These laws regulate religious conversions, especially related to interfaith marriages. Some laws impose jail terms for conversions done through force or allurement. The Centre had earlier challenged the locus standi of an NGO involved in similar petitions, accusing it of political bias and fund misuse. The Supreme Court continues to hear the matter considering constitutional rights under Articles 21 and 25.