Maha Legislative Council passes Freedom of Religion Bill

Mumbai, March 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Legislative Council on Tuesday passed the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, amid concerns expressed by both opposition and ruling legislators over possible misuse of its provisions by authorities and self‑proclaimed protectors of religion.

The government said the Bill seeks to prohibit unlawful religious conversions carried out through force, coercion, allurement, misrepresentation, or other fraudulent means.

The Bill was opposed by the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (SP), while the Uddhav Thackeray‑led Shiv Sena (UBT) supported it. The Council cleared the Bill a day after it was passed by the Legislative Assembly following a heated debate.

Replying to the debate, Minister of State for Home Pankaj Bhoyar said the Bill does not intend to take away a person’s right to convert or curtail a woman’s freedom, but only to curb forceful conversions.

He said it was not targeting any particular religion and would apply to all.

Opposing the Bill, Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap questioned its necessity. He said it appeared to be aimed at punishing or targeting a particular community and argued that forceful conversions were already dealt with under existing laws.

He said the provisions gave an impression that the constitutional structure was being undermined.

BJP MLC Parinay Phuke claimed the Bill was meant to protect Hindus and prevent demographic change. He said Europe was facing population pressures from countries like Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, and argued that such laws were necessary to protect the Hindu population.

He added that the Bill was brought by the “Hindu‑wadi” Maharashtra government.

Though Shiv Sena (UBT) supported the Bill, its legislators Anil Parab and Sachin Ahir sought details of the instances that prompted its introduction and the actions taken earlier.

Minister Bhoyar said a committee under the DGP had examined the issue extensively before the Bill was drafted. He did not specify the number of cases that led to its introduction.

He said that although provisions existed to deal with crimes involving force or coercion, there was no independent law to address conversions specifically.

Independent MLC Satyajeet Tambe supported the Bill but cautioned that its implementation should not negatively affect youth or their right to love.

He said the requirement of a 60‑day notice before a conversion ceremony could create law‑and‑order issues, and allowing anyone to object would complicate matters.

He suggested that children born in disputed marriages should be allowed to choose their religion at 18 instead of automatically being assigned the mother’s religion.

According to the Bill, anyone intending to convert, as well as individuals or institutions organising a conversion ceremony, must give a 60‑day advance notice to the district magistrate or an authorised officer.

The authority will publicly display details of the proposed conversion and invite objections within 30 days.

The Bill mandates that the converted person and the organiser submit a declaration within 21 days after the ceremony. It allows parents, siblings, or close relatives to lodge an FIR if they suspect unlawful conversion, and requires police to register such complaints.

The burden of proof lies on the person who caused, assisted, or abetted the conversion.

The Bill proposes stringent administrative requirements and criminal penalties. Section 14 empowers the state to ban and fine organisations found guilty of facilitating or funding illegal conversions.

Section 9 provides for imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh. The government has maintained that the law is necessary to protect vulnerable individuals from predatory conversion tactics.

Source: IANS