Chhattisgarh High Court Reviews Challenge to New Anti-Conversion Law

The Chhattisgarh High Court has issued a three-week notice to the state government, requiring a formal response to a legal challenge against the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 2026. The petition, filed by civil rights advocates and minority Christian leaders, argues that the legislation infringes upon constitutional rights to privacy, personal liberty, and freedom of conscience.

Legal representatives for the petitioners contend that the law imposes burdensome requirements, such as mandatory public disclosures and multiple government clearances for voluntary conversions. Critics specifically highlight concerns regarding the definition of "mass conversion," which applies to two or more people. They argue that this provision could criminalize routine religious practices, such as family baptisms, and exposes individuals to potential community threats due to the requirement for 30 days' advance notice to district magistrates.

While the state government maintains that the act is necessary to prevent fraudulent or forced conversions, the petitioners argue that the law functions as a tool for state-sanctioned profiling. The 2026 statute replaced a 1968 law and carries penalties ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment for violations.