Article 25 and the Right to Freedom of Religion
Articles 25–28 of the Indian Constitution collectively guarantee freedom of religion as a fundamental right. Article 25 gives "all persons equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion" — subject to public order, morality, and health.
- The right to "propagate" religion does not include the right to convert — this distinction was established by the Supreme Court in Rev. Stainislaus v. State of Madhya Pradesh (1977), a landmark ruling that upheld early anti-conversion statutes.
- The Court held that restrictions on coercive conversions are constitutional because forcible conversion impinges on the "freedom of conscience" of the individual being converted.
- Article 25(2) allows the State to regulate secular activities associated with religious practice and provide for social welfare and reform.
- Article 26 gives religious denominations the right to manage their own affairs in matters of religion.
● Tracked since March 06, 2026 · last seen March 30, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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