Child adoption Laws to be amended

New Delhi, July 13 (UNI) The centre today informed the Supreme Court that it is actively considering to suitably amend the laws related to the adoption of children in the country and sought time to file a comprehensive affidavit.

Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium also told the court that the government wanted to ensure that the welfare of the children who are given in adoption and their security must be ensured and the children must be assured of facilities like enducation, medical care, proper nourishment and adequate opportunities for all-round development of their personalities.

Mr Subramanium also told the bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran that religious sensitivities of some communities were also involved in the matter of adoption.

The court was also told that the government will also ensure that the children given in adoption do not fall in wrong hands so that trafficking of children can be checkmated.

Earlier, counsel for petitioner Shabnam Hashmi, submitted before the court that there were about 12.5 million orphan children in the country and only three to four thousands are being adopted every year and the Juvenile Justice Act needs suitable amendments to make the law of adoption more practical and oriented towards the welfare of children.

The government is also considering appointing some nodal authority to overses the process of adoption of children. The court adjourned the matter at the request of the centre.

The apex court also issued notices on the intervention application filed by Evangelical Fellowship of India, a Christian Organisation.

UNI