Mumbai Churches Implement Consent Forms Following New Anticonversion Law

Churches across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region have begun collecting signed consent and self-declaration forms from congregants following the implementation of a new anticonversion law in Maharashtra on August 28. Reports indicate that as many as 4,000 churches are participating in this initiative, which requires worshipers to provide personal identification details, contact information, and photographs to verify their voluntary attendance.

Church leaders developed these documents as a protective measure against potential legal scrutiny and harassment. The forms state that participation in religious services is an exercise of the individual's right to religious freedom. Pastors intend to retain these records as evidence to defend against false allegations of forced conversion. While some congregants have expressed anxiety regarding the collection of their personal data, many continue to participate in services, citing the importance of their faith community in a challenging social climate.