President Murmu Approves Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026

Key facts

• President Droupadi Murmu approved the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, commonly referred to as the state's anti-conversion law.
• The Act will come into force after the Maharashtra government issues a notification specifying the date of enforcement.
• Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has forwarded the Act to the state government for notification.
• The Act prohibits religious conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, allurement, misrepresentation or promise of marriage.
• It mandates a 60-day prior notice to the district magistrate before conversion.
• It allows complaints by parents, siblings and other relatives of the convert.
• The burden of proving that a conversion was voluntary lies on the person conducting the conversion.
• Violations are punishable with imprisonment of up to seven years, rising to ten years for repeat offenders.