The Maharashtra government has unveiled the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2025, also known as the Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam, in the legislative assembly during the current budget session. This legislation seeks to regulate religious conversions and criminalize those conducted through coercion, deceit, or inducement. Under the proposed law, individuals wishing to convert to a different religion, as well as organizations overseeing these rituals, must provide a 60-day advance notification to the designated authority. This notification will be publicly displayed for a period of 30 days to allow for any objections. Should there be any concerns regarding the authenticity of the conversion’s intent, the authorities are empowered to initiate a police investigation. Following the conversion ceremony, a formal declaration must be submitted by the individual within 21 days; failure to do so will invalidate the conversion.

Legal Penalties and Enforcement Measures

The bill outlines severe legal repercussions for noncompliance. General violations could result in imprisonment for up to seven years along with a monetary penalty of Rs 1 lakh. In more serious cases involving minors, women, or individuals from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, offenders may face up to seven years in prison paired with a fine of Rs 5 lakh. Offenses related to mass conversions carry similar penalties of seven years’ incarceration and a Rs 5 lakh fine. For repeat violators, the sentence may extend to ten years alongside a fine of Rs 7 lakh. The responsibility to prove the legality of a conversion lies with the individual facilitating the change. Additionally, immediate family members, including parents and siblings, are permitted to file a First Information Report (FIR) against suspected unlawful conversions. The bill also includes provisions for the rehabilitation and protection of victims, addressing maintenance and custody matters.

Context Within a Broader Legislative Framework

Maharashtra’s initiative follows similar laws in multiple states, including Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana, and Rajasthan, all of which have enacted comparable measures aimed at regulating religious conversions. The introduction of this bill by Minister of State for Home (Rural), Pankaj Bhoyar, is anticipated to generate further discussions within the assembly, highlighting the growing political discourse around the issue of religious conversion across various Indian states. Observers note that these legislative efforts may reflect broader societal concerns regarding the nature and dynamics of religious conversion practices in the country.

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