Maharashtra cabinet clears anti-conversion bill; 60-day notice proposed

The Maharashtra cabinet has cleared a draft anti-conversion bill, which makes it mandatory to seek permission from a competent authority before converting to another religion.

A person who wants to convert must give a 60-day notice and seek permission from the designated authority before converting, an official said on Thursday, sharing details of the proposed legislation.

Further, a conversion must be registered with the authority within 25 days, or it will be considered null and void, he said.

If the blood relative of a person who wishes to convert files a complaint about the same being unlawful, police will register a First Information Report and conduct a probe, as per the bill.

 

The right to religious freedom does not include the right to convert by force, fraud or allurement but includes the right to be protected from such unlawful conversions, the bill said.

Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane said the cabinet has approved a strong anti-conversion law, adding the decision fulfilled a promise made by the party ahead of the Assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters on the premises of Vidhan Bhavan, Rane said, "We had firmly stated during the Assembly elections that once we come to power, we will bring a strong anti-conversion law, also referred to as a law against love jihad, in Maharashtra. Today, I feel a deep sense of satisfaction that such a strong anti-conversion law has been approved by the cabinet."  Thanking Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar for the decision, Rane said the bill has been approved under the proposed 'Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam 2026'.

A government resolution (GR) will be issued soon, he added.

"Several activists and Hindutva organisations had taken out marches and agitations in the past demanding the implementation of such a law in the state. The legislation is expected to be introduced and passed in the legislature in the coming period," he said.