The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act of 2026, which covers a lot of ground in regards to changing religions, has been passed. It sets out very strong punishments – up to seven years in prison and a fine of Rs and 5 lakh – for someone being forced, tricked, persuaded, or changing religion because of a marriage. If someone has broken the law before, the punishment is even harsher.
Key penalties and scope of the anti-conversion law
You can get up to seven years in prison and a Rs 1 lakh fine for changing someone’s religion through marriage, force, trickery, or persuasion. If the person is a child, a woman, someone with a mental health problem, or a member of the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, the penalties are higher: seven years in prison and Rs 5 lakh.
Mass conversions (where many people convert at the same time) also get these higher penalties of seven years in prison and a Rs 5 lakh fine. Someone who has broken this law before will face even longer in prison – up to ten years – and a Rs 5 lakh fine. The law applies to all religions and is meant to be applied fairly to everyone.
The person who has been converted, or their close family, can make a complaint about the conversion. In some situations, other people can also go to the authorities. The government says this is necessary because sometimes victims are being pressured or threatened and can’t complain themselves.
Interestingly, this bill also touches on family law. If a marriage is based on an illegal conversion, and they have a child, the child will legally be considered to be the same religion as the mother was before she converted. Lawmakers say they are doing this to avoid arguments about the child’s religion.
Procedural requirements: 60-day notice and post-conversion reporting
Anyone planning to change religions has to tell the district magistrate (a local government official) 60 days beforehand. The government says this is to make sure the conversion is truly the person’s own choice, and to stop people being tricked or persuaded.
The authorities must also be told within 21 days of the conversion actually happening. If you don’t tell them afterwards, the conversion might not be legally valid. Officials say keeping this record is a way to avoid problems with the law later on.
Some politicians disagreed with these rules, saying the 60-day notice could limit people’s freedom and go against the constitution’s promise of religious freedom. The government responded by saying that these rules about being open about the process are allowed, as the state government has the power to stop people being forced or deceived.
Government’s rationale and stated objectives
Pankaj Bhoyar, Minister of State for Home, explained the government’s view. He said the bill is about protecting rights. The government insists it isn’t stopping adults from changing religion, but it is making sure the conversion is completely voluntary, based on the person’s own knowledge, and not because someone is manipulating them.
Officials say this law is a response to reports of people being forced or organised into converting. They are especially worried about women, children, and those who are vulnerable. The Chief Minister brought up examples of women being drawn into relationships, married, converted, and then abandoned, and said the law is aimed at stopping this kind of bad behaviour, and not at any particular religion.
Debate and political responses
Some politicians have said they support the bill because it’s thorough and fair. They say it is against forcing or persuading someone to convert, not against their beliefs. Others want the bill to go to a joint select committee to be looked at in more detail before it’s fully used.
People who are against the bill say it could be as strict as, or even stricter than, similar laws in other states. They fear this could discourage genuine conversions and make interfaith marriages (marriages between people of different religions) more difficult. They also don’t like the broad wording, which they think could make doing normal things like signing papers to say someone has converted, or ‘brainwashing’ someone through teaching, into crimes. People who defend civil liberties say these parts of the law could be used to stop legitimate religious or educational work.
What the law means for citizens and institutions
If you are thinking of changing your religion, this law means you need to be prepared: give 60 days’ notice, keep all the paperwork, and report the conversion 21 days afterwards. Couples from different religions who are getting married and one of them is changing religion should get legal advice to avoid problems with the process that could make the conversion invalid.
Religious groups and groups in the community may need to improve how they make sure they are following the law, have clear paperwork to show someone has given their agreement, and be sure that anything they are doing to help someone doesn’t involve persuasion or forcing. It will be important to train people who volunteer or work for them about what the law says and how strict it is, to avoid legal problems.
Implementation outlook and safeguards
Whether the law works well will depend on having clear rules, standard forms, and dates to make things less confusing. Being open about how things are going, publishing information about complaints and results, and having ways for people to complain about how they have been treated can stop the law being used unfairly. Courts will probably have the final say in how to understand the most important parts of the law, what kind of proof is needed, and how to balance the state’s interests with the constitutional right to freedom of belief and joining religious groups.
As Maharashtra starts to use this law, how the authorities understand ‘forcing’, ‘persuasion’, and ‘mass conversion’ will decide how the law actually affects people. Having strong safeguards and applying the law fairly to everyone will show whether the law stops abuse without taking away the personal freedom it says it is trying to protect.
