Maharashtra’s government has introduced the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2025, also called the Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam, in the legislative assembly during the ongoing budget session. The bill aims to regulate religious conversions and criminalise those obtained through force, fraud, or allurement.
MANDATORY PROCEDURE FOR CONVERSIONS
Under the proposed legislation, people seeking to change their religion, as well as institutions organising the ceremonies, must submit a 60-day advance notice to the competent authority. The notice will be publicly displayed for 30 days to allow objections. Authorities may launch a police enquiry if doubts arise about the true intent of the conversion. After the ceremony, the individual must submit a formal declaration within 21 days. Non-compliance will render the conversion null and void.
PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT
The bill proposes stringent legal consequences:
- General violations: Up to seven years imprisonment and a Rs 1 lakh fine.
- Aggravated cases: Conversions involving minors, women, or SC/ST individuals could attract up to seven years in jail and a Rs 5 lakh fine.
- Mass conversions: Offenders face seven years imprisonment and a Rs 5 lakh fine.
- Repeat offenders: Punishment rises to ten years in jail and a Rs 7 lakh fine.
The burden of proof lies with the person facilitating the conversion. Immediate family members, including parents and siblings, can lodge an FIR against suspected illegal conversions. The bill also provides rehabilitation and protection measures for victims, including maintenance and custody provisions.
Maharashtra joins several states, including Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana, and Rajasthan, that have enacted similar laws.
The bill was introduced by Minister of State for Home (Rural), Pankaj Bhoyar, and is expected to spark further debate in the assembly.
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