Bangalore:Karnataka is planning to enact legislation to make HIV tests mandatory forcouples planning to marry and for politicians seeking to enter the statelegislature.

 "There is a consensus within the government on the needto bring in such a legislation within a year," Health Minister R. Ashoktold sources.

 Karnataka is one ofsix high-prevalence HIV states in the country.

Ashok said his ministry had discussed the modalities of theupcoming law and it would be moved at an appropriate time.

"Stringent steps need to be put in place to curb thespread of the disease," he said.

The legislation would ensure that all prospectivelegislators have to undergo the test.

"Politicians should set a precedent for the commonpeople to follow. People fear to undergo the test. Once politicians are made totake it, they would shed their fears," Ashok said.

The legislation would make HIV tests mandatory for allcouples before marriage.

Karnataka has over 500,000 HIV positive people, accountingfor nearly 10 percent of the afflicted populace in the country.

According to the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society,HIV prevalence rate in the state is 1.56 percent as against the national levelof below 1 percent.

Most cases are from 12 high-risk districts includingBagalkot and Belgaum.The prevalence rate in some districts is as high as 3.8 percent.

According to Ashok, the government was planning to undertakean opinion poll on the proposed mandatory testing.

 "Apart fromconsulting legal experts, an opinion poll is being conducted by healthofficials,"he said.

Pointed out that the central health ministry was not infavour of such mandatory testing, the minister replied that health was a statesubject.

"The state government is free to take new initiativesto control health problems like AIDS. We know the sensitivity of the issue butthe government needs to do something for the larger benefit of people," hesaid.

 Andhra Pradesh isplanning similar legislation.