Governor gives assent; law to be notified in gazette before coming into force
Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka has given his assent to the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Bill, officials said on Wednesday, clearing the final formal step before the measure becomes law. The bill will be published in the state government’s official gazette, after which its provisions will come into force.
New criminal penalties and a mandatory prior notice for conversion
The statute institutes a requirement that any person intending to convert their religion must submit an application to an authorised officer prior to undergoing the conversion process. It also prescribes significant criminal penalties for conversions found to be unlawful.
- Standard punishment for illegal conversion: seven to ten years imprisonment and a fine of ₹5 lakh.
- Where the alleged victim belongs to vulnerable categories — minors, women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes or tribal communities — punishment rises to ten to twenty years imprisonment and a fine of ₹10 lakh.
- For cases classified as mass conversions, the law provides for ten years to life imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹25 lakh.
Penalties at a glance
| Offence | Imprisonment | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Illegal conversion (general) | 7–10 years | ₹5 lakh |
| Conversion of vulnerable persons | 10–20 years | ₹10 lakh |
| Mass conversion | 10 years to life | Up to ₹25 lakh |
What the measure requires and who it covers
The legislation sets out both a procedural step and punitive measures. Before undergoing a religious conversion, the person must file an application with the authorised officer specified under the law; the officer will be empowered to examine the circumstances of the proposed conversion. The enhanced penalties specifically refer to conversions where the affected person is a minor, a woman, or belongs to a marginalised group such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes or tribal communities.
Legal and administrative next steps
The bill has been placed on the statute book following gubernatorial assent; the government will publish the text in the gazette to notify its commencement. Publication in the gazette is the formal trigger for the law to become operative. Administrative rules, appointment of authorised officers and other implementation details are normally issued by the state government after gazette notification, and will determine how the new provisions are enforced on the ground.
Context and wider significance
The law was passed by the state legislative assembly in a prior session and now reaches the stage of enactment with the governor’s signature. Its provisions expand the criminal law framework in Chhattisgarh by adding specific procedures and heavier punishments for what the statute terms unlawful religious conversions. The measures are likely to engage police, district administrations and the judiciary in interpretation and enforcement, particularly in cases involving vulnerable communities and alleged mass conversions.
Authorities and enforcement
Once operational, the statute will require administrative mechanisms for receiving and processing conversion applications, and for investigating complaints of unlawful conversion. The precise powers and responsibilities of authorised officers, and the procedural safeguards available to persons asserting their right to change faith, will be set out in rules and orders that the state government may issue after notification.
Public impact and legal debate
The law’s entry into force represents a significant regulatory change affecting religious practice and conversion in Chhattisgarh. It introduces criminal penalties that increase sharply where alleged victims are minors, women or members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes or tribal communities, and imposes the most severe punishment for group conversions. Questions about how the law will be applied in practice, and what procedural protections will be available to people seeking to change their religion, will become central as rules and enforcement follow the gazette notification.
Officials said the bill will be published in the official gazette shortly.
