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Assembly passes two Bills removing ‘leprosy’ references from State Laws

February 18, 2026 4 min read Social Issues Polity & Governance GS1 GS2
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What Happened

  • The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly unanimously passed two Bills removing discriminatory references to persons affected by or cured of leprosy from existing state laws.
  • The bills amended the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987 and the Sri Venkateswara Vedic University Act, 2006.
  • The action follows a Supreme Court directive in W.P. No. 83/2010 (Federation of Leprosy Organisation v. Union of India), where the Court ordered all state governments to review and remove discriminatory provisions.
  • The bills were part of a broader package of seven amendment Bills cleared in the Budget Session of the 16th Andhra Pradesh Assembly.
  • India continues to have one of the highest leprosy caseloads globally, yet over 100 discriminatory legal provisions historically remained embedded in state and central laws.

Static Topic Bridges

Leprosy (Hansen's disease), caused by Mycobacterium leprae, has been declared fully curable by the World Health Organization using multi-drug therapy (MDT) since the 1980s. India officially "eliminated" leprosy as a public health problem in 2005 (fewer than 1 case per 10,000 population), yet it continues to report the highest absolute caseload globally — roughly 1.2–1.3 lakh new cases annually. Despite medical advances, Indian law historically treated leprosy-affected persons as a special "vulnerable" or disqualified category, with discriminatory provisions embedded in laws ranging from marriage and divorce to electoral participation, motor vehicle licensing, and railway travel. A 2024 Law Commission analysis identified over 100 such provisions across Union and state statutes.

  • Leprosy eliminated as public health problem in India: 2005 (WHO threshold)
  • India's annual new caseload: approximately 1.2–1.3 lakh cases (highest globally in absolute terms)
  • Multi-drug therapy (MDT) — fully curative; WHO recommends 6-month or 12-month regimen
  • Not contagious in the vast majority of casual contacts; 95% of people are naturally immune
  • Over 100 discriminatory legal provisions identified across Indian statutes (pre-reform)

Connection to this news: The AP bills address discriminatory references in laws governing religious institutions and universities — reflecting how leprosy stigma was embedded not just in civil law but in institutional governance frameworks.

Legislative Reforms on Leprosy Discrimination — National and State Efforts

The Central Government enacted the Personal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019, removing leprosy as a ground for divorce from five statutes, including the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (Section 13(1)(iv) omitted), Special Marriage Act, 1954, Divorce Act, and others. The Supreme Court has repeatedly described retention of these provisions as "embarrassing" and directed Union and state governments to take remedial action. As of 2023, 31 discriminatory provisions had been repealed at Union and state levels, but 88 remained. State-level prohibitions included: banning leprosy-affected persons from contesting local elections (Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, MP, AP, Odisha), restrictions on driving licences (Motor Vehicles Act, 1939), and railway travel restrictions (Indian Railways Act, 1990).

  • Personal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019 — removed leprosy as a divorce ground from 5 central laws
  • Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 — Section 13(1)(iv) completely omitted by the 2019 amendment
  • Federation of Leprosy Organisation v. Union of India (W.P. 83/2010) — ongoing PIL; Supreme Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi issued directions in 2025
  • 31 discriminatory provisions repealed by 2023; 88 still remaining at that time
  • AP Prohibition of Beggary Act and related laws historically contained leprosy-related disqualifications

Connection to this news: Andhra Pradesh's amendments are a direct implementation of the Supreme Court's 2025 directions, demonstrating the judicial-legislative coordination required to dismantle legally embedded social stigma.

State Legislature Powers and Social Reform Legislation

Under the Seventh Schedule, state legislatures have exclusive power over matters in the State List, including public health and sanitation (Entry 6), charities and charitable institutions (Entry 28), and public order (Entry 1). This is why removing discriminatory leprosy references in laws like the AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987 (a state law) requires action by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly — Parliament cannot amend a state law. This illustrates the federal dimension of social reform: even when the Supreme Court issues uniform directions, implementation requires action by each state separately through its own legislative process.

  • State List Entry 6 — public health and sanitation
  • State List Entry 28 — charities and charitable institutions, religious endowments
  • Concurrent List Entry 25 — education (relevant for removing references in university Acts)
  • Article 254 — in case of conflict between state and Union law on Concurrent List, Union law prevails (but state laws can be enacted with Presidential assent)
  • State legislature has the sole power to repeal or amend state Acts — Parliament cannot do so directly

Connection to this news: The two bills passed by the AP Assembly specifically target state-level laws — the state Endowments Act and a state university Act — over which only the AP legislature has competence, making state legislative action the only mechanism for compliance with the Supreme Court's directive.

Key Facts & Data

  • Bills passed: Andhra Pradesh Budget Session, 16th Assembly (unanimously)
  • Laws amended: AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987; Sri Venkateswara Vedic University Act, 2006
  • Supreme Court PIL: W.P. No. 83/2010 — Federation of Leprosy Organisation v. Union of India
  • Supreme Court direction: May 7, 2025, bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi
  • Central reform: Personal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019 — removed leprosy as divorce ground
  • National caseload: ~1.2–1.3 lakh new cases per year (highest globally)
  • India eliminated leprosy as public health problem: 2005 (WHO criterion)
  • 31 discriminatory provisions repealed across India by 2023; over 88 remained at that time