India's government will scrap 287 out-of-date laws that date back to British rule in the 19th century. India's Law Minister Ravi Prasad is responsible for the "clean-up" of India's legal system. Prime Minister Narendra Modi told him to streamline laws and make India an easier place to live and do business in. India's legal system has hundreds of strange laws introduced by the British. Mr Prasad said some laws are "laughable" and have "no place in a modern and democratic India". Even without the 287 laws, India will still have thousands of regulations that get in the way of business.

The laws will be removed in November. It will then not be illegal to fly a kite without police permission. A 1934 law said a kite was an aircraft. One law that irritates factory owners requires them to have red buckets of water and sand, even if their buildings have modern sprinkler systems for fires. Another oddity to go is the Motor Vehicles Act, that says a safety inspector must have clean teeth. The Registration of Foreigners' Act, which makes foreigners staying in India for more than 180 days report his/her movements, is also going. This should give a boost to India's tourism industry.