Supreme Court Pushes for Legal Reforms in Leprosy Laws

The Supreme Court has urged states to either call special legislative sessions or enact ordinances to amend outdated and discriminatory laws against individuals affected by leprosy. The court highlighted that these provisions, which are allegedly over 145 in number, should be revised to reflect constitutional obligations.

A bench including Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi emphasized the importance of removing these discriminatory provisions, stating that doing so would greatly benefit those affected by leprosy. The directive follows a series of Public Interest Litigations seeking justice for leprosy-affected individuals who face legal discrimination.

The top court has also directed chief secretaries and law secretaries of all states to form a committee to identify discriminatory laws. The National Human Rights Commission and individual states have been called upon to submit their reports on the issue, with some states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan already taking steps towards reform.

(With inputs from agencies.)