Following the footsteps of Goa, the Karnataka government in its efforts to control the dreaded disease AIDS is toying with the idea of bringing in a law to make HIV tests mandatory before marriage.

The objective of the law is to control the spread of AIDS in the state. Karnataka Health Minister R Ashok said, that there are several cases in which innocent people unknowingly marrying to HIV positive are becoming unfortunate victims to AIDS. "Hence our plan to bring in this law. It will call for mandatory HIV test reports of all the 'to-be-married' candidates to confirm their HIV free status", he said

The matter is being discussed with the State Directorate of Health and Family Welfare. Talks are on with the Department of Law and the same will be discussed with the chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, the health minister said.

"AIDS could be controlled successfully with this law and HIV tests could be done free of cost at all government hospitals", the Minister said.

According to healthcare experts, the law will be of great help to control the dreaded disease. They also stated that Karnataka could be the second in the country after Goa to implement the same.

Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society 2005 surveillance figures show that Bagalkot in north Karnataka is among the 12 high prevalence districts when it comes to HIV/AIDS cases in the state. The prevalence in the district alone is 2.88 per cent. It is 3.19 per cent in rural limits and 2.34 per cent in the urban limits. The Devadasi system, migrant labourers and child marriages are said to be root causes for such a high rate of prevalence in the district and the other being the wealthy agriculturalists who indulge in high risk behaviour.

Early this year, the state had received funds to the tune of Rs 97.7 crore ($22 million) from US AID for a prevention project which is to be executed in Gulbarga, Bijapur, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Raichur, Koppal, Dharwad, Bellary, Davangere, Tumkur, Kolar and Bangalore rural districts. The urban care and support aspects will be implemented in cities of Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore.