Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act Comes Into Force August 28: 7-Year Jail, Rs 5 Lakh Fine For Unlawful Conversions

New Delhi: The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, will go into effect on August 28, after the state government published the legislation in the official gazette. The rule would apply to all religious communities and establishes a legal framework to address charges of illegal religious conversion in Maharashtra. 

Following a debate about its impact on individual freedom, both Houses of the Maharashtra Legislature enacted the legislation. Several organizations opposed the Bill, claiming it would infringe on a person's ability to choose their religion. However, the state government dismissed the criticism, claiming that the rule is intended to prevent conversions carried out by force, fraud, coercion, seduction, or undue influence.  

What will be illegal under the new law?

The Act makes forced or illicit religious conversion a criminal offense. Conversions purportedly carried out through deception, coercion, seduction, or undue influence may result in a seven-year prison sentence. These offenses will also be non-bailable.

The law also establishes a framework for individuals who wish to change their religion willingly. They will have to file an application with the competent government 60 days before the anticipated conversion.

The legislation also includes provisions dealing with marriage-related conversions, such as cases when an interfaith marriage is accused of involving an illegal conversion.

Why is the child's religion provision significant? 

One of the most significant sections concerns children born from a marriage or connection involving an illegal religious conversion. Under the law, if a marriage or connection occurs after an unlawful conversion, the kid is regarded to belong to the faith that the mother practiced before to the marriage or relationship.

The section specifies how Maharashtra's law will determine a child's religious identification. This comes in the midst of anti-conversion legislation in certain other jurisdictions, where legal provisions have addressed issues involving children and inheritance in interfaith marriages. 

Fines can go up to Rs 5 lakh

The Act imposes varying degrees of penalty based on the circumstances of the alleged illicit conversion. A conversion through marriage can result in a seven-year prison sentence and a Rs 1 lakh fine. If the accused victim is a youngster, a person with mental illness, a woman, or a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, the punishment can be seven years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh.

The law also provides for up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh for widespread religious conversions. Repeat offenders face harsher penalties, including imprisonment for up to ten years and a fine of up to Rs five lakh. 

What does the Maharashtra government say?

Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Pankaj Bhoyar stated that the legislation aims to prevent religious conversions caused by fraud, coercion, or incentive while protecting people's constitutional rights.

The government has stated that the Act does not violate an individual's fundamental right to practise and profess their faith, but rather tries to build safeguards against illicit conversions.

Those seeking voluntary religious conversion must follow the procedure outlined in the new law beginning August 28, which includes providing advance notice to the authorized authority. The sections governing interfaith marriages, children's religious identification, and criminal punishments are expected to be among the most widely observed aspects of the legislation.