The Supreme Court is urging the Union of India and States/Union Territories to fix outdated laws that discriminate against people affected by leprosy. Recently, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi heard a case filed in 2010 in which the court asked Indian states to review their laws and remove any discriminatory provisions.
Outdated Perceptions of Leprosy1,2
Leprosy was once seen as a dangerous, highly contagious and incurable disease, and this led to harsh laws that isolated leprosy patients. However, multi-drug therapy (MDT) to cure leprosy has been available since 1981, and the World Health Organization has confirmed that leprosy does not spread easily from one person to another.
Despite this, there is still a lot of stigma attached to the disease, and many old laws still discriminate against current and former leprosy patients, affecting their rights and their ability to live with dignity.
Call to Remove "Embarrassing" Outdated Laws1
Justice Kant expressed frustration that many outdated laws still exist, including some that allow for leprosy as grounds for divorce. While the central government removed leprosy as a reason for divorce in 2019, over 100 discriminatory laws remain across India. Justice Kant described the situation as “embarrassing”.
Some states have formed committees to identify these discriminatory laws, but much work remains to be done.
Read more: Inclusion of Leprosy As Ground For Divorce ‘Embarrassing’, Says Supreme Court
Support the Leprosy Mission in Combating Stigma
You can help fight stigma and discrimination by supporting the work of The Leprosy Mission. You can easily make a donation online. We educate patients and their communities about the realities of leprosy to help prevent the spread of misinformation and promote a better quality of life for people affected by leprosy.
References:
1. Inclusion of leprosy as ground for divorce “embarrassing”, says Supreme Court. Live Law India. Accessed July 31, 2025. https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/supreme-court-discriminatory-laws-leprosy-as-ground-for-divorce-embarrassing-union-states-to-take-remedial-action-299351.
2. About hansen’s disease(Leprosy). Centers for Disease Control. Accessed July 31, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/leprosy/about/index.html.