Mumbai, March 5 The Maharashtra cabinet on Thursday approved a draft bill that makes conversion mandatory, requiring individuals to obtain permission from a competent authority before changing their religion.
According to the bill, a person wishing to convert must give a 60-day notice and seek permission from the designated authority before doing so. Additionally, the conversion must be registered with the authority within 25 days, or it will be considered invalid.
If a blood relative of a person who wishes to convert files a complaint alleging unlawful conversion, the police will register a First Information Report and conduct an investigation, as per the bill.
The bill states that the right to religious freedom does not include the right to convert through force, fraud, or coercion, but does include the right to be protected from such unlawful conversions.
