Maharashtra religious conversion law implementation

The Maharashtra government has issued an official notification to implement the ‘Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026’ starting August 28. Following presidential approval and legislative passage, the state becomes the 13th in India to establish a statutory framework to regulate religious conversions.

Under the new law, conversions achieved through force, fraud, allurement, or under the pretext of marriage are classified as cognizable and non-bailable offenses. Penalties include prison sentences of 7 to 10 years and significant fines. The act defines ‘allurement’ broadly, encompassing gifts, cash, employment, free education, promises of marriage, or claims of divine healing.

The legislation has met with political and religious opposition. The Samajwadi and Congress parties argue the law may disrupt communal harmony and interfere with constitutional rights. Additionally, Maulana Mushtaq Malik of Tehreek Muslim Shabban raised concerns regarding the potential misuse of the law, specifically citing issues related to the religious identity of children, inheritance rights, and the linking of interfaith marriages to the concept of ‘love jihad’.