Presenting the government’s position, Minister Ashish Shelar said several laws had become redundant due to constitutional changes, reorganisation of states, and the enactment of new legislation over the years. He noted that retaining such outdated provisions was creating ambiguity in governance
The state government undertook a comprehensive review of existing laws and identified those no longer in use for repeal. Representational pic
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed a Bill to repeal 80 obsolete Acts and laws, in a move aimed at improving governance and streamlining administrative processes.
The Maharashtra Repealing Bill, 2026 (Assembly Bill No. 17), was introduced by General Administration Minister Ashish Shelar and cleared by the House after a detailed discussion.
Presenting the government’s position, Shelar said several laws had become redundant due to constitutional changes, reorganisation of states, and the enactment of new legislation over the years. He noted that retaining such outdated provisions was creating ambiguity in governance.
To address this, the state government undertook a comprehensive review of existing laws and identified those no longer in use for repeal. These include Acts and regulations from the Bombay, Bengal, Central Provinces and Berar, Hyderabad, and Madhya Pradesh regions.
Of the 80 laws repealed, 24 are Bombay Acts, 8 from Central Provinces and Berar, 18 from Hyderabad, 3 from Madhya Pradesh, and 24 Appropriation Acts.
The list of repealed legislations includes several outdated laws such as the Bengal Alluvion and Diluvion Regulation, 1825; the Acknowledgements of Debts, Interest, Mortgages Regulation, 1827; the Broach and Kaira Encumbered Estates Act, 1877; the Bombay Abkari Act, 1878; the Borstal Schools Act, 1929; the Maharashtra Opium Smoking Act; the Bombay Fodder and Grain Control Act, 1939; and the Bombay Cotton Control Act, 1942.
Notably, the Bombay Abolition of Whipping Act, 1957, which had already lost relevance, has also been repealed as part of the exercise.
Officials said the move is expected to simplify the legal framework, reduce redundancy, and enhance administrative efficiency in the state.
Maharashtra Assembly passes Freedom of Religion Bill
The Legislative Assembly passed the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion (Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam), 2026 Bill on Monday. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told legislators the proposed law is not directed at any religion but is meant to curb forced or fraudulent conversions and maintain social harmony.
The Bill, introduced in the Assembly last week, proposes strict penalties, advance declaration rules and regulatory oversight for religious conversions, with the government arguing that the legislation is necessary to prevent conversions through force, fraud, inducement or marriage. However, the debate also exposed sharp divisions within the opposition alliance, with some legislators backing the law and others questioning its intent.
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