A division of the High Court in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh has launched a challenge to the state’s Freedom of Religion Act, which it's claimed has led to Christians being targeted and attacked.

The persecution watchdog Open Doors has welcomed the move, saying the Act "has made the lives and practices of believers more open to scrutiny, vulnerability and attack by extremist groups and hostile authorities".

In March 2026, the state government introduced harsh amendments to the Act which made offences non-bailable and prolonged the process for declaring a conversion, as well as making the validity of a conversion increasingly subject to the decisions of those in power.

Open Doors said that since these amendments, Christians in the state have been exposed to more arrests, extensive legal battles and increased social pressure, even before allegations of forced conversion are proven or dismissed.

Senior advocates have now filed a petition to the High Court challenging the Act and giving the state government three weeks to provide a response. The petition argues that the Act could infringe upon the fundamental right of citizens to adopt a religion without excessive government intervention or public disclosure.

Other petitions against the Act are also pending at the High Court.

Earlier this year, believers in the state of Arunachal Pradesh also protested its Freedom of Religion Act and Goa State’s anti-conversion law has been shelved for reconsideration for an absence of reports of forced conversion and fears of such a law disrupting social harmony.

A local partner for Open Doors said the latest moves are a "glimmer of hope for believers living under the watching eye of their communities and government", adding that "Reforming this law will definitely help strengthen the right of believers to practise their faith freely.

"The petition challenging this Act is a good step not only for the Christian community in Chhattisgarh, but in India at large”.