Maharashtra cabinet clears draft bill on religious conversions
Maharashtra's cabinet just approved a draft bill, the Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam 2026 that makes religious conversions much tougher.
Anyone wanting to convert will need to give 60 days' notice and get district authority approval.
Conversions have to be registered within 25 days, or they're void.
Breaking these rules could mean up to seven years in jail and a ₹5 lakh fine, with complaints allowed to be filed by the person who converted and by relatives (for example parents, siblings or other relations by blood, marriage or adoption).
Supporters say it delivers on BJP's election promise
This bill is meant to stop forced or fraudulent conversions, including those linked to marriage, often called love jihad.
Supporters say it delivers on BJP's election promise to curb coercive conversions.
But critics, including church leaders and civil society groups, warn it could threaten privacy and personal freedom, especially for women.
If passed, Maharashtra will join 12 other states with similar laws, even as the Supreme Court reviews whether these rules are constitutional.