Maharashtra Anti-Conversion Law Challenged in Bombay High Court Over Religious Freedom & Privacy

A petition in the Bombay High Court has challenged the constitutional validity of Maharashtra’s 2026 anti-conversion law, alleging violations of freedom of religion, privacy, dignity, and personal autonomy. Filed by advocate Abdul Mateen Shaikh on behalf of Maulana Halimullah Farooque Ahemed Khan, the petition targets Sections 2(a), 3, 6, 7, and 9 of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act. It argues these provisions are vague, overbroad, and criminalize voluntary religious activity without force or fraud. The law requires prior disclosure of conversion intent and places the burden of proving voluntariness on facilitators. Critics warn it enables arbitrary enforcement and restricts minority rights.