In news

The bill has been sent to Kerala’s Law Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, with the recommendation that it be subjected to a pre-legislative consultation procedure to foster democratic participation in the enactment of this historic law.

About the Bill

• Employers, landlords, traders, service providers, private persons performing public functions, and public authorities are prohibited from discriminating based on caste, race, ethnicity, descent, sex, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation, religious identity, tribe, disability, linguistic identity, HIV status, nationality, marital status, dietary preference, sex, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation, religious identity, tribe, disability, linguistic identity, HIV status, nationality, marital status.
• The bill has been sent to Kerala’s Law Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, with the recommendation that it be subjected to a pre-legislative consultation procedure to foster democratic participation in the enactment of this historic law.

Way Forward

• If passed, this bill will be the most significant expansion of civil rights in the state since the Constitution’s inception, and it could serve as a model for other states.
• An anti-discrimination statute is not a solution for our society’s deep-rooted inequality and social prejudice problems.

Source: The Hindu