THOUSANDS of antiquated Indian laws dating back to British colonial rule, some of which even refer to Queen Victoria in their text, will soon be changed, following the recommendations of a special committee instituted by the new coalition government of the Prime Minister, Mr Inder Gujrals.
The committee, headed by Mr H.D. Shourie, a retired civil servant, will submit its report later this month, suggesting changes in more than 1,500 antiquated federal laws and thousands of other equally outdated ones, still on the statute books in various Indian states.
Officials say the Shourie committee will redraft the Freedom of Information Bill and the Official secrets Act, enforced by the colonial government more than a century ago.
Some other laws for change include the Indian Penal Code (1860), under which homosexuality and some heterosexual acts are deemed "against the order of nature" and punishable by imprisonment.
The code also stipulates that no rape victim can seek redress and women guilty of any crime, however serious, have to be released on hail because they are female.
Other anachronistic acts include the Indian Post Office Act (1885), which permits intelligence agencies to arbitrarily monitor all mail.
The Indian Telegraphs Act (1885), and the Indian Wireless Telegraph Act (1933), empower only the telegraph department to lay underground cables. This regulation has led to a bizarre situation since the early 1990s, with millions of cable television lines criss-crossing the skyline of every Indian city.
Other Victorian laws include the Indian Police Act (1861) which makes it mandatory for a policeman to doff his hat before a member of royalty - formally abolished in 1971 - while anyone out for a stroll dressed in frayed clothing can be booked for "loitering with intent" under the Vagrancy Act of 1860.
Social activists said inheritance laws for women also need drastic reform. Under existing laws, widows have the right to only food and shelter in their husbands' estate, all of which goes to the nearest male relative if she is childless.
