President Murmu clears Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026 ; state notification awaited.

Upananda Brahmachari | HENB | New Delhi | Aug 3, 2026:: The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, commonly referred as  ‘anti-conversion law’ has crossed its final constitutional milestone after receiving the assent of President Droupadi Murmu, paving the way for one of the country’s most stringent state laws against religious conversions by coercion, fraud, allurement, or misrepresentation. However, the legislation will become operational only after the Maharashtra government issues an official notification specifying the date of enforcement.

President’s Assent Clears Final Constitutional Hurdle for Maharashtra Anti-Conversion Law

President Droupadi Murmu has granted assent to the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, clearing the final constitutional requirement before the legislation comes into force. According to highly placed sources cited by The Indian Express, Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has forwarded the approved legislation to the state government for issuance of the necessary notification.

Sources stated that while the President’s approval has completed the legislative process at the constitutional level, the Act will become effective only after the Maharashtra government formally notifies the date from which its provisions will be enforced. The timing of the notification will be decided by the state administration.

Journey of the Legislation

The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026 was introduced during the state’s Budget Session earlier this year. It was passed by the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in March before securing approval from the Legislative Council.

Following its passage through both Houses of the state legislature, the Bill was forwarded to the Governor and subsequently reserved for the consideration of the President of India. With the President’s assent now granted, the legislation has completed the constitutional approval process.

Key Provisions of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act

The Act seeks to regulate religious conversions and specifically prohibits conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, force, allurement, misrepresentation, or under the promise of marriage.

Among its major provisions are:

• Mandatory 60-day prior notice to the District Magistrate before any religious conversion.
• Religious conversions induced through force, fraud, coercion, allurement, misrepresentation, or marriage-related promises are prohibited.
• Parents, siblings, and certain other relatives of the individual undergoing conversion are empowered to lodge complaints regarding alleged illegal conversions.
• The burden of proving that a conversion was voluntary rests on the person conducting or facilitating the conversion.
• Violations are punishable with imprisonment of up to seven years.
• Repeat offenders may face imprisonment extending up to ten years along with other penalties as prescribed under the Act.

Political Debate Over the Law

The legislation witnessed intense debate in the Maharashtra Legislature during its passage.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance defended the Bill as a necessary legal framework to prevent forced and fraudulent religious conversions. In contrast, the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), and the Samajwadi Party opposed the legislation, expressing concerns over its implications. The Shiv Sena (UBT), however, extended support to the Bill despite being in the opposition.

Fadnavis Defended the Legislation

While presenting the Bill during the Budget Session, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that the objective of the legislation was to prevent forced and fraudulent religious conversions rather than interfere with voluntary religious choices or lawful interfaith marriages.

According to the Chief Minister, the law is intended to provide legal safeguards against coercive conversion practices while preserving the constitutional right of individuals to voluntarily choose and practice a religion of their choice.

Notification Awaited Before Enforcement

Although the President’s assent marks the final constitutional approval, the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026 is not yet in force. The Maharashtra government must now issue an official notification announcing the commencement date of the Act.

Once notified, Maharashtra will join several other Indian states that have enacted legislation regulating religious conversions, particularly those alleged to involve coercion, fraud, inducement, or misrepresentation. The implementation and legal interpretation of the Act are expected to be closely watched, given the continuing national debate surrounding anti-conversion laws and the balance between religious freedom and measures against forced conversions.
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