Lucknow, Mar 10 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday gave its approval to drop objectionable references to leprosy-affected people in the state’s anti-beggary law in line with a direction of the Supreme Court to stop discrimination against them.
Under the proposed amendment, provisions related to leprosy will be removed from Section 21 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Beggary Act, 1975 (Uttar Pradesh Bhikshavriti Pratished Adhiniyam) Additionally, these provisions will be aligned with the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, so that the law conforms to modern health and human rights standards, the UP government said in a statement.
Section 21 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Beggary Act, 1975 pertains to “detention of persons suffering from certain diseases”.
This amendment is expected to help eliminate discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and ensure that they are able to live with dignity and respect in society.
Following the cabinet approval, the proposed Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Beggary (Amendment) Bill, 2026, will be presented in the state legislature, the statement said.
The Supreme Court on July 30, 2025, had called upon the states to summon special one-day assembly sessions or enact an ordinance to amend discriminatory, derogatory and demeaning provisions in various laws against leprosy-affected persons.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant (now the Chief Justice) and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the Centre and states will be doing great service to these people by removing such discriminatory and demeaning provisions of law.
“States can call upon a special assembly session or a one-day session instead of waiting for a regular monsoon session or winter session and remove or amend the discriminatory provisions against leprosy-affected persons.
“Where it is not possible to call for a session, an ordinance can be enacted. The state government will be doing great service to them,” the bench said.
The top court was dealing with a batch of PILs, including one initiated in 2010 in which the bench had earlier directed the states to form a committee to identify provisions in various laws, etc., which discriminate against leprosy-affected or cured persons, and take steps for their removal so that they conform to constitutional obligations.
Additional advocate general Garima Prashad informed the bench that the Uttar Pradesh government has identified three laws which need to be “corrected”.
The petitioners, including the Federation of Leprosy Organisation (FOLO) and legal think-tank Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy’, have contended that over a hundred provisions existed, both in central and in state laws which discriminated against persons affected by leprosy in ways that caused stigmatisation and indignity to them. PTI NAV RT RT
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