Campaigners have hailed a decision by India's cabinet to reform archaic marriage laws which make leprosy a grounds for divorce and can leave sufferers as outcasts from their own families.

The cabinet has approved a Bill meaning the disease is no longer equated with mental illness and it is expected to be passed by the parliament in the coming months.

Activists are waging a long-running battle trying to repeal or change a raft of laws, many dating back a century or more, which reinforce ancient prejudices against a disease which has been curable for decades.

Ram Gidoomal, vice president of The Leprosy Mission England and Wales, said: “This new Bill is a triumph for people affected by leprosy and a great testimony to the hard work of our colleagues in India who have campaigned tirelessly against the laws in India which discriminate against leprosy-affected people. It is also an answer to persistent prayers around the world.”