Bill To Curb Forced Religious Conversion Tabled In Chhattisgarh Assembly

Bhopal: The Chhattisgarh government on Thursday tabled a Bill in the state Assembly, proposing harsh provisions for the forced religious conversions particularly of the weaker and the deprived sections of the society.

The Bill has provision of imprisonment of up to 20 years in cases in which minors, women, persons with mental disabilities, or members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, or Other Backward Classes are victims.

The Chhattisgarh Dharma Swatantrya Vidheyak (Freedom of Religion Bill) 2026, placed in the House by Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who holds home portfolio, also recommended life imprisonment for mass conversion.

Mass conversion is defined in the Bill as forced religious conversion of more than two people.

Religious conversions carried out through force, coercion, undue influence, allurement, misrepresentation, fraudulent means, or marriage, including through digital platforms such as social media and electronic communication come under the category of forced religious conversion, as per the Bill.

All offences will be cognizable and non-bailable.

The Bill seeks to replace the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act 1968 adopted from Madhya Pradesh when the state was carved out in 2000.

“Given Chhattisgarh’s geographical location, socio-economic conditions and with passage of time, the advancements in technology and communication within society, the provisions of the existing Freedom of Religion Act have become inadequate’, it said.

The new Bill states that return to ancestral religion is not treated as religious conversion.

The ‘allurement’ is defined in the Bill as monetary benefits, gifts, employment, free education or medical facilities, promises for better lifestyle, or marriage, while ‘coercion’ is defined in the Bill as psychological pressure, physical force or threats, including social boycott.

The Bill makes it mandatory for the individuals seeking religious conversion to submit a declaration to the competent authority (district magistrate or any specially authorized officer not below the rank of an additional DM) in this regard.

It also makes it mandatory for the functionaries conducting religious conversions to provide prior intimation to the competent authority.

Conversion certificates issued under the law will not serve as proof of citizenship or identity, the Bill states.