Mumbai, March 13 (IANS) The state government on Friday introduced the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, to curb religious conversions carried out through force, fraud, or allurement.

The Bill proposes to protect the right to freedom of religion and the prohibition of unlawful conversion. The Bill was tabled by the Minister of State for Rural Pankaj Bhoyar in the state assembly.

According to the Bill, individuals intending to convert must provide a 60-day advance notice to the district authorities.

Following the conversion, the change must be officially registered within 25 days to be considered legally valid.

Further, the Bill has proposed that blood relatives of a person being converted can file a complaint if they suspect the process involves force or inducement.

Section 14 empowers the state to ban and fine organisations found guilty of facilitating or funding illegal conversions. Section 9 outlines the judicial consequences for offenders with imprisonment up to 7 years of rigorous jail time and a penalty of up to Rs 5 lakh.

The Bill has proposed stringent administrative requirements and criminal penalties to ensure that conversions are a matter of personal choice rather than coercion.

The Bill proposes to prohibit conversion made by use or practice of allurement, misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion or by any other fraudulent means, provide the procedure for conversion which includes declaration of intention of conversion by giving prior notice to the Competent Authority; provide for declaration by the converted person and the person and institute which organise such conversion, to the Competent Authority after conversion; provide for offences and punishment for violating the provisions of the proposed law and provide for investigation of unlawful conversion by an officer not below the rank of Sub-Inspector of Police.

The state cabinet had given its approval during the meeting held on March 5, following recommendations from a high-level special committee. This committee, headed by the Director General of Police (DGP), was established on February 14, 2025, to study legal frameworks and draft a robust mechanism to handle complaints related to illegal conversions.

Once the bill receives approval from both houses of the state legislature, it will be sent to the President of India for final assent. The law will come into force across Maharashtra immediately after receiving presidential approval.

The government has maintained that the law is necessary to protect vulnerable individuals from predatory conversion tactics.

Ministers, including ports and shopping minister Nitesh Rane, who has been a strong advocate of law against forced conversions, highlighted that while the Indian Constitution guarantees the freedom to practice any religion, it does not grant a right to convert others through “misrepresentation, force, or allurement.”

Various States such as Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu have already enacted the Freedom of Religion Acts for the prohibition of such forceful and unlawful conversions from one religion to another.

The Bill further said that the right to freedom of religion guaranteed under the Constitution of India is not absolute, but is subject to public order, morality, health and to other provisions of Part III of the Constitution relating to the fundamental rights of citizens.

It said that the Supreme Court of India has, in many cases, held that the freedom of religion is subject to reasonable restrictions and the right to propagate under Article 25 of the Constitution does not include the right to forcibly convert another person.

Instances of religious conversions which are forceful, involuntary or caused by influencing the free consent of the citizens have been increasing and are being carried out in an organised manner by various institutions.

It added, “Many instances of mass conversion have come to light where gullible persons have been forcefully converted from one religion to another by offering any gift, gratification, easy money or material benefit either in cash or kind, employment, free education in school or college run by any religious body or institution, promise to marry, better lifestyle, divine healing, etc. These instances are causing disturbance to public order in the State and are affecting social harmony.”

Defending the need for the new legislation, the government said that individuals or families are susceptible to unlawful conversions due to their social and economic vulnerability in society. Such vulnerable sections of society need protection from the State. The existing laws are not sufficient to tackle various issues arising out of such religious conversion.

–IANS

sj/dan