HIV test compulsory before marriage? Goa is considering, says health min

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane added that the proposal to make HIV testing compulsory before marriage was being vetted by the Law Department

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Tuesday said that the seaside state’s legislature was pondering making HIV tests compulsory before the enrollment of relational unions. “We are thinking about making a HIV test obligatory for the imminent couples before enrollment of marriage in Goa. It isn’t obligatory at the present time,” Rane told IANS.

Rane, who is additionally a Minister for Law, added that the proposition to make HIV testing mandatory before marriage was being checked by the Law Department. “On the off chance that it is cleared by the Department soon, at that point we will table the law in the rainstorm session of the state Legislative Assembly,” Rane said.

The rainstorm session will start on July 15. In 2006, a comparative proposition was mooted by then Health Minister Dayanand Narvekar, with the Goa bureau supporting the enactment making HIV testing obligatory before marriage. Yet, the activity did not achieve fulfillment.

Goa gets a new CM in the wee hours; BJP’s Pramod Sawant takes oath

The Governor also administered oath to 11 other ministers, including those from BJP’s allies MGP and the GFP

Politics News: BJP MLA Pramod Sawant was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Goa just before 2 am Tuesday, capping a day of hectic parleys between the saffron party and its allies to put a new government in place in the state.

After multiple postponements of the oath ceremony on Monday, the day when his predecessor Manohar Parrikar was cremated with state honours, Pramod Sawant was sworn in by Goa governor Mridula Sinha at Raj Bhavan at 1.50 am. Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 46-year-old legislator from Sankhalim in North Goa. 

The Governor also administered oath to 11 other ministers, including those from BJP’s allies MGP and the GFP. Interestingly, all the ministers who were part of erstwhile Manohar Parrikar-led Cabinet were sworn in by the Governor.

MGP’s two MLAs Sudin Dhavalikar and Manohar Ajgaonkar were sworn-in, while Goa Forward party MLAs Vijai Sardesai, Vinod Palekar and Jayesh Salgaonkar also took oath. BJP MLAs Mauvin Godinho, Vishwajit Rane, Milind Naik and Nilesh Cabral also found a place in the Sawant-led Cabinet. Independent MLAs Rohan Khaunte and Govind Gawade were also sworn in by Governor..