Maharashtra's 2026 Freedom of Religion Act requires 60-day notice
Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, which comes into force on August 28, 2026.
Now, if you want to officially change your religion, you have to give the district magistrate a 60-day heads-up.
The law bans conversions by coercion, fraud, inducement, or through marriage.
Breaking it could mean up to 7 years in jail, and up to 10 years for repeat offenses.
Maharashtra joins a growing list of states with similar rules.
Maharashtra churches, Buddhists warn of misuse
Churches and religious groups are concerned this law could be misused and impact regular prayer gatherings.
In fact, some churches have already started asking people to sign forms confirming they're attending voluntarily.
Buddhists are also speaking up: they worry the law might interfere with their daily meditation and other rituals, and conversion to Buddhism on any scale mostly happens around October 14, the date associated with B.R. Ambedkar's own conversion.