Maharashta govt tables anti-conversion bill

The Maharashtra government has introduced a bill that makes "unlawful conversion" punishable with up to seven years of imprisonment and a fine ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹7 lakh. The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, tabled in the state Assembly on Friday, also says that any religious conversion made through "allurement, coercion, deceit, force, misrepresentation, threat, undue influence or fraudulent means" would be null and void. It makes any such offence cognisable and non-bailable.

The bill is expected to be taken up for discussion next week. The anti-conversion bill states that no person or people can convert another individual through 'allurement, coercion, deceit, force, misrepresentation, threat, undue influence or any fraudulent means.

The term "allurement" has been defined as any of the following: gift, gratification, easy money or material benefit, employment, free education in school or college run by a religious body, or promise of marriage, better lifestyle or divine healing, or portraying practices, rituals and ceremonies or any integral part of a religion in a detrimental way vis-a vis another religion, glorifying one religions vis-a-vis another religion. The bill stipulates that any conversions made in contravention of these provisions shall be an offence punishable under this act and the conversion would be "null and void". It also says that any "marriage solemnised with the sole purpose of unlawful conversion shall be declared as null and void by the court on a petition by either party to the marriage against the other party thereto".


Any child born out of marriage or relationship in the "nature of marriage" due to unlawful conversion shall be deemed to belong to the religion of mother before such a marriage. The custody of child shall be with the mother unless the court decides otherwise. According to the bill, the provisions are being introduced because incidents of "forceful, involuntary" conversions or those caused by "influencing free consent" are increasing and many instances of mass conversions have been reported where "gullible persons have been forcefully converted" through offers of gifts, easy money or material benefit.