The Chief Minister's Office of Arunachal Pradesh announced on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, that the High-Powered Committee constituted to draft rules under the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978 has formally submitted its report to the State Government. The CMO also extended appreciation to the committee's chair, Justice (Retd.) Brojendra Prasad Katakey, and all members for their contributions.

Context

The Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 1978 was enacted to prohibit religious conversions carried out through force, fraud, or inducement — a concern particularly acute in the state's predominantly tribal areas. Despite being on the books for nearly five decades, the Act had never been operationalised due to the absence of notified rules. The submission of this committee report marks a significant step toward giving the legislation practical effect.

The High-Powered Committee was chaired by Justice (Retd.) Brojendra Prasad Katakey, a retired judge of the Gauhati High Court, lending the review process judicial credibility and institutional weight. The committee's mandate was to draft rules that would allow the State Government to implement and enforce the 1978 Act.

Policy Backdrop

Multiple Indian states — including Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh — enacted freedom-of-religion laws between the 1960s and 1970s. Several have since revisited these statutes, forming expert committees to frame or update enforcement rules amid renewed national debate on religious conversion, particularly in tribal-majority regions. Arunachal Pradesh's move fits squarely within this broader pattern.

The Northeast has historically been a focal point of conversion-related discourse, given its diverse tribal demographics and the active presence of missionary organisations over the past century. The APFRA was a legislative response to community concerns at the time, and the push to operationalise it reflects the state government's current governance priorities.

Stakeholders and Impact

The most directly affected stakeholders are Arunachal Pradesh's tribal communities, whose cultural and religious identities the 1978 Act was originally designed to protect. Religious organisations — both indigenous and those engaged in conversion activities — will also be closely watching the final shape of the rules.

Civil society groups and legal scholars have long debated the constitutional boundaries of such legislation, particularly around Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of religion. The rules framed on the basis of this committee's report will determine how the State Government navigates those boundaries in practice.

What's Next

The State Government must now review the committee's report and decide whether to notify the rules as submitted or revise them before formal notification. A subsequent discussion in the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly remains a possibility, particularly if the rules generate political or community debate. The exact timeline for notification has not been announced. How swiftly the government moves from report to enforceable rules will signal the administration's seriousness about closing a nearly 50-year governance gap — and will set a precedent for how other northeastern states handle dormant legislation of similar sensitivity.