Maharashtra 'Love Jihad' Bill Gets Cabinet Nod: Interfaith Couples Must Get Family Approval

Maharashtra's state cabinet has cleared the Freedom of Religion Bill, which targets religious conversion through marriage or "love jihad," though the legislation itself does not use this term, the Hindustan Times reported.

The bill received cabinet approval on Thursday (5 March) and is expected to be taken up during the ongoing budget session of the state legislature.

If enacted, Maharashtra will join a small group of Indian states where the government holds similar anti-conversion laws.

Under the proposed legislation, an interfaith marriage becomes a cognisable, non-bailable offence if either family raises objections, treating such a union as implying "conversion by force and allurement."

The minimum sentence prescribed is seven years' imprisonment.

According to a report by the Hindustan Times, couples will additionally need clearance from the district collector (however, other news sources do not specifically mention who will be authorised to give clearance for such marriages).

In addition to that, a Hindu woman intending to convert to Islam must serve a 60-day notice period.

Both families must confirm they have no objections to the union.

Conversions must be registered within 25 days of the notice period, failing which the marriage will be considered null and void.

Any complaint filed by family members will trigger a police investigation.

Penalties under the bill range from seven years imprisonment and a Rs 1 lakh fine for general offences to seven years and Rs 5 lakh for cases involving minors, women, persons with mental disabilities, or members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Repeat offenders face up to ten years in prison.

After the cabinet's decision, state fisheries minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane said, "Nobody will dare convert our Hindu girls forcefully or by allurement. The bill is part of our government's assurance during the assembly polls in 2024."

Rane added, "The bill is modelled on laws passed in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and other states. It has been framed under a constitutional framework and is not likely to be challenged in court."

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