India, March 26 -- The Maharashtra legislature on Wednesday approved the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing two new provisions into India's primary criminal code that would be applicable in the state. The bill, which will now be sent to the Centre for approval, criminalises the disclosure of the identity of acid attack survivors and brings online sexual harassment under the ambit of sexual offences.

The new bill was introduced after the state government decided to shelve the Maharashtra Shakti Bill, envisioned in 2020 as a stringent legal framework including provisions for the death penalty in cases of rape, gang rape, and acid attacks causing grievous injuries. This was after the Centre indicated it ...