Lok Sabha passes Bill to remove leprosy as a ground for divorce

New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Lok Sabha on Monday passed a Bill to remove leprosy as a ground for divorce amid uproar in the House.

As soon as the House reassembled at 1430 hrs after the third adjournment, Congress members trooped into the Well of the House over the Rafale issue and raised their demand for JPC probe into the matter while SP Members, including Dharmendra Yadav, also entered the Well of the House and alleged that institutions like CBI were 'misused by the government.

The Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018, was moved by Minister of State for Law and Justice P P Chaudhary amid uproar in the House.

Amid ruckus by Samajwadi Party and Congress members, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed taking up for consideration of the House the Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

The Bill seeks to further amend the Divorce Act, 1869, Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939, the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the Special Marriage Act, 1954 and the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act 1956 to remove leprosy as a ground for seeking a divorce.

According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, "The bill would ensure the elimination of discrimination against leprosy-affected persons and provide for their integration into the mainstream of society.'

Replying to the Bill after a brief discussion, the Minister of State for Law and Justice said the state governments provide rehabilitation of people living with leprosy.

He said leprosy is now curable. The Minister said the amendments were in line with the human rights commission.

Badaruddoza Khan (CPI-M), Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), Kalyan Banerjee (AITC) and Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD) took part in the discussion on the Bill.

The Bill was passed by voice vote amid ruckus in the House.

After the passage of the Bill, the House took up a discussion under Rule 193 on natural calamities in various parts of the country, particularly in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha with special reference to cyclones like Gaja, Title, etc.

Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD) initiated the discussion amid uproar the House.

However, the discussion could not be completed as Samajwadi Party members continued to raise slogans such as 'CBI BJP Ka Tota have (CBI is behaving like a parrot for the BJP)' and also flung papers in the air in the House, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day.