Anti-Conversion Laws in India: Legislative Landscape, Judicial Pronouncements, and the Push for a Uniform National Framework
Introduction
The question of religious conversion and its legal regulation has remained one of the most debated constitutional and legislative issues in independent India. Over the past several decades, multiple state governments have enacted statutes aimed at prohibiting conversions carried out through force, fraud, inducement, or misrepresentation. Despite this growing body of state-level legislation, a central, nationally applicable anti-conversion law remains absent from India's statutory framework. This article examines the evolution of anti-conversion legislation across Indian states, key judicial pronouncements on the subject, and the ongoing discourse surrounding the need for uniform national legislation.
Historical Evolution of Anti-Conversion Legislation in India
The Early State-Level Statutes
India's legislative journey on anti-conversion began at the state level, with individual states responding to concerns about coercive or fraudulent religious conversions well before the subject gained national prominence.
Odisha enacted the first anti-conversion statute in the country — the Odisha Freedom of Religion Act, 1967 — which criminalised conversion achieved through force, inducement, or fraud. The penalties prescribed under this early legislation were relatively modest, including short-term imprisonment and limited fines.
Madhya Pradesh followed closely, enacting its own prohibition in 1968. This legislation was later replaced by a more comprehensive and stringent statute in 2021.
Arunachal Pradesh introduced its anti-conversion framework in 1978, while Jharkhand enacted similar legislation in 2017.
The Post-2018 Legislative Wave
A significant acceleration in anti-conversion legislation was observed across multiple states after 2018. This period witnessed a wave of more rigorous statutory frameworks with enhanced penalties and broader coverage:
- Himachal Pradesh — 2019
- Uttarakhand — 2019
- Gujarat — 2021
- Uttar Pradesh — Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, subsequently amended in 2024
- Haryana — 2022
- Karnataka — 2022
- Rajasthan — 2025
Most Recent Developments: 2026 Legislation
Two significant legislative developments occurred in early 2026, reflecting the continued momentum toward stricter anti-conversion regulation:
Chhattisgarh passed a Bill on March 19, 2026, targeting religious conversions carried out through force, inducement, fraud, or misrepresentation. Notable features of this legislation include:
- Provision for life imprisonment in cases involving mass conversion
- All offences designated as cognizable and non-bailable
- An explicit clarification that reconversion to one's ancestral religion shall not be treated as conversion under the law
Maharashtra passed the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026 through the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on March 17, 2026.