Jail term up to 10 years, ₹7 lakh fine for repeat offender: Maharashtra anti-conversion law comes into force
The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, passed by both Houses of the state legislature during the budget session in March, received Presidential assent and was notified in the state gazette on July 30.
Maharashtra's anti-conversion law took effect on July 30, 2023, following President Droupadi Murmu's assent and publication in the official gazette, according to PTI. The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, passed by both state legislative houses in March, received Presidential assent and was notified in the state gazette.
The legislation, which aims to curb forced or fraudulent religious conversions, prohibits conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, inducement, misrepresentation, or marriage-related deception. A first-time offender faces up to seven years in prison, while repeat offenders can be sentenced to up to 10 years. The victim's close relatives can also file complaints.
Maharashtra joins a dozen other states in enacting similar laws, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh.
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