Rajasthan government tables bill to prevent ‘forced conversions’, seeks 10 years in jail

JAIPUR: The Bhajan Lal Sharma govt in Rajasthan on Monday introduced a bill that seeks to prohibit religious conversions carried out by force, inducement, fraud or marriage.
The Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025, tabled in the assembly by health minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar, makes such conversions a cognizable and non-bailable offence, and stipulates a punishment of up to 10 years in jail and a fine up to Rs 50,000 for those found guilty.
According to the proposed legislation, individuals who want to ‘voluntarily’ convert must apply to the district magistrate 60 days in advance.

The bill states that if a marriage is proved to have taken place for the sole purpose of conversion, such a marriage may be annulled by court. Introducing the legislation, govt said all individuals were free to preach, practise and propagate any religion of their choice, but “individual right to freedom of conscience and religion cannot be extended to construe a collective right to proselytize”.
If an institution or organisation is found guilty of violating the proposed anti-conversion law, its registration will be cancelled.