HIV And AIDS (Prevention And Control) Bill Gets President’s Assent [Read The Text]

President Pranab Mukherjee has given his assent to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Bill 2017.

The Act, meant to provide for the prevention and control of the spread of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome and for the protection of human rights of persons affected by the said virus and syndrome, was passed by Parliament earlier this month.

On April 21, it was published in the Gazette.

Salient features of the Act can be read here.

The Act will come into force on such date as the Central government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

Section 4 of the Act makes it an offence to publish, propagate, advocate or communicate the feelings of hatred against any HIV-affected person. Section 37 makes such an act punishable with imprisonment for a term, which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to two years and with fine which may extend to Rs. 1 lakh.

Section 85 recognises the right of every protected person to reside in the shared household, the right not to be excluded from the shared household or any part of it and the right to enjoy and use the facilities of such shared household in a non-discriminatory manner.

The Act also emphasises on the privacy of the HIV-affected person. Disclosure of HIV status shall only be permitted with the affected person’s informed consent, and if required, by a court order.

Read the Notification here.