Bombay High Court permits withdrawal of plea against Religion Act
The Bombay High Court has allowed a petitioner to withdraw a legal challenge against the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026. The court noted that the original plea failed to adequately demonstrate the specific hardships or legal repercussions faced by citizens under the new law.
Why it matters
This case reflects ongoing judicial scrutiny regarding the balance between state-mandated anti-conversion laws and constitutional protections for individual religious freedom.
Bombay High Court permits withdrawal of plea against Religion Act left The petitioner contended that the State could enact measures to prevent conversions by force, fraud, or coercion. The plea argued that the Act went beyond that objective. File. The Hindu The Hindu https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/qxd6pk/article71557264.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/IMG_Bombay_High_Court_2_1_59DCPNA5.jpg VIVEK BENDRE MUMBAI,08/02/2021: An outer view of Bombay High Court in Mumbai on February 08, 2021. Photo: VIVEK BENDRE The Bench emphasised the need to specify the repercussions of law enforcement and noted that prosecutions in Pune under the Act were not brought to the Court’s notice The Bombay High Court on Thursday (October 22, 2026) permitted Maulana Halimullah Farooque Ahemed Khan to withdraw a plea challenging the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, to permit the filing of a petition. A Bench consisting of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna passed the order.
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