Raipur, Nov. 2 -- The Chhattisgarh high court has upheld the validity of hoardings in several Kanker villages that restrict the entry of pastors and "converted Christians", ruling that such signs meant to prevent forcible religious conversions are not unconstitutional.

A division bench of chief justice Ramesh Sinha and justice Bibhu Datta Guru, while disposing of a petition filed by Kanker resident Digbal Tandi, said, "the installation of the hoardings for preventing forcible conversion by way of allurement or fraudulent means cannot be termed as unconstitutional."

The court order, dated October 28, read, "the hoardings appear to have been installed by the concerned Gram Sabhas as a precautionary measure to protect the interest of indig...