Current Affairs - Miscellaneous - Discussion

The Lok Sabha has passed the Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018. The bill was moved by Minister of State for Law PP Chaudhary. The bill was introduced as various recommendations were made to remove leprosy as a ground for divorce. The bill seeks to remove leprosy as a ground for divorce in five personal laws Hindu Marriage Act(1955), Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act(1939),Divorce Act(1869), Special Marriage Act(1954) and the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act(1956). In 2010 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Resolution on the 'Elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members', which was signed and ratified by India. The Law Commission of India in its 256th Report recommended the elimination of discrimination against people affected by the disease. Leprosy is a chronic infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Leprosy mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes.