MUMBAI – Some churches in and around Mumbai have started asking worshippers to sign written declarations confirming that they are attending prayer meetings v...
MUMBAI – Some churches in and around Mumbai have started asking worshippers to sign written declarations confirming that they are attending prayer meetings voluntarily following the introduction of a new anti-conversion law in Maharashtra.
The practice has emerged after the Maharashtra Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam, 2026, came into force on August 28. The law strengthens legal provisions against religious conversions alleged to involve force, fraud, coercion, inducement, threats, misrepresentation or undue influence.
According to the BBC, some churches are asking visitors to write their names and, in some cases, provide identification details before signing a statement confirming that they came to pray of their own free will.
The forms are not government documents and have no official legal standing. Church leaders have described them as a precaution intended to provide evidence that people attending prayer meetings did so voluntarily if the gatherings are later challenged.
The issue has become particularly noticeable in areas around Mumbai, including Vasai, Virar, Mira-Bhayandar, Thane and Palghar.
The Indian Express reported that some churches have been circulating the declarations in English, Marathi and Hindi. The forms state that worshippers are attending by their own choice and are not being subjected to pressure, inducement, threats or other forms of coercion.
The development follows a series of disruptions involving Christian prayer meetings in parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. According to the Indian Express, nine first information reports were linked to five such disruptions between April and July, with cases filed against both prayer organisers and members of groups accused of disrupting the meetings.
Church representatives say the declarations are intended as a protective measure rather than a requirement imposed by the government. Some congregations have also introduced additional security measures, including CCTV cameras and controlled access to prayer venues.
The new law regulates religious conversion and provides penalties for conversions alleged to have been obtained through coercion, fraud, force, threats, misrepresentation, inducement or undue influence. It also contains provisions concerning conversions connected to marriage or promises of marriage.
Another significant provision requires a person intending to convert to another religion to notify the district magistrate in advance. Reports on the legislation say the notification period is two months, while violations of the prescribed procedure can attract criminal penalties.
The law also provides for stronger punishment in cases involving alleged conversion of certain vulnerable groups, including minors, women and members of Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes. The legislation places responsibility on those accused of facilitating an unlawful conversion to establish that the conversion was voluntary.
Supporters of such laws generally say they are intended to prevent religious conversion through force, fraud or inducement. Christian organisations and other critics, however, have raised concerns about how the laws could affect legitimate religious activity and freedom of belief. These competing positions remain part of the wider debate over anti-conversion legislation in India.
Police authorities in Mumbai have said they are aware of complaints surrounding prayer meetings and that action will be taken where offences occur. Police have also indicated that some incidents involved complaints from both sides rather than a single group.
For churchgoers, the immediate consequence has been the introduction of paperwork that was previously uncommon at ordinary prayer meetings. Some pastors say the declarations are being kept as a record to counter allegations that worshippers were pressured or compelled to attend.
The developments in Maharashtra are part of a broader national debate over laws regulating religious conversion. Several Indian states have introduced similar legislation in recent years, although the precise requirements and penalties differ between states.
The Maharashtra law is therefore affecting not only the legal process surrounding religious conversion but also how some churches conduct ordinary prayer gatherings, particularly in areas where allegations of forced conversion have already led to disputes.
