Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026 to take effect on August 28
New legislation prohibits religious conversions through coercion, fraud, or inducement, with severe penalties for violations involving vulnerable groups.
Quick Look
- The Maharashtra government has announced that the Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, will come into force on August 28.
- The law criminalizes religious conversions achieved through coercion, fraud, or inducement, imposing prison sentences of up to 10 years for offenders.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The law aims to regulate religious conversions across Maharashtra, following similar legislative actions in other Indian states. It prohibits conversions via coercion, fraud, or inducement.
The Maharashtra government has notified August 28 as the date for the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, to come into force. The state Home Department issued the notification on Monday.
With this, Maharashtra joined states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand that have enacted similar laws to regulate religious conversions.
The Devendra Fadnavis government introduced the Bill in the state Assembly earlier this year in March. The legislation prohibits religious conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, inducement, misrepresentation, undue influence or fraudulent means.
Under the Act, unlawful conversion on the pretext of marriage will attract imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.
Conversion involving a minor, a person of unsound mind, a woman or a person belonging to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe will attract imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh.
Mass conversions will be punishable with up to seven years in jail and a fine of Rs 5 lakh. Repeat individual offenders can face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of Rs 5 lakh.
The Act also makes it mandatory for the officer in charge of a police station to register a complaint made by any person regarding an alleged unlawful conversion.
Under the proposed law, no individual or institution will be allowed to convert or attempt to convert a person from one religion to another by offering gifts, money, employment, free education, promise of marriage, better lifestyle or divine healing, which are classified as "allurement".
The bill also prohibits conversions carried out through marriage or promise of marriage if such acts involve inducement, coercion or deceit.
In the Bill's statement of objects and reasons, the government said incidents of forceful and organised religious conversions have been reported in various parts of the country and vulnerable sections are often targeted through inducements.
While the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, the right is subject to public order, morality and health, and does not include the right to forcibly convert another person, as per the Bill.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Act will officially take effect on August 28.
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- How will the police define 'allurement' in practice?
- What is the expected volume of legal challenges to this Act?
