The Lok Sabha passed Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018. This Bill is passed to remove Leprosy as a ground for divorce. Leprosy is the contagious disease that affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and, in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities. It passed the Bill in Lok Sabha on August 2018. Before the passing of this Bill, the leprosy was a ground for divorce.
The disease is curable now, as against the notion of it being incurable in the earlier times. The marriage comes under the preview of Personal Laws, therefore this Bill is also known as Personal Laws Amendment Bill. It aims to remove discrimination.
The Amendment Bill will amend the 5 Laws:
- The Divorce Act, 1869
- The Dissolution of Muslim Marriage Act, 1939
- The Special Marriage Act, 1954
- The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
- The Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956
Also, The provisions related to marriage, divorce, and separation of Hindu and Muslim couples will be amended.
Granting of divorce on the ground of leprosy is itself a discriminatory clause. Further, The Human Rights Commission and the various judgments have also underlined the need to remove this cause of discrimination.
India is also a signatory to the UN Resolution which calls for the elimination of discrimination against persons suffering from leprosy.
However, Asaduddin Owaisi, President, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, opposed the Bill and contended that one should interfere with the Muslim laws. Moreover, Leprosy is a disease and concealing a disease is itself a ground for divorce.
He said that other Muslim countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan still allows leprosy as a ground of divorce.