Acting on a PIL filed by Advait Foundation and others (Vs. Union of India) regarding foreigners allegedly adopting children for trafficking, the Supreme Court today disposed of the matter, instructing Central Adoption Resource Authority(CARA) to notify regulations in three months. The bench of Chief Justice of India and Justice UU Lalit also directed the states to frame guidelines within three months related to inter-country adoption of children.
Amendments have already been made by the Union of India in the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act, and a notification dated January 15, 2016 was issued that describes the formulation of a mechanism for inter-country adoption.
The court also granted liberty to the petitioner to first forward suggestions to CARA and the state government while they form their respective regulations and guidelines. The petitioner can also approach the court by filing a fresh petition against specific instances of trafficking and demand a CBI probe.
The PIL filed in 2012 had sought a ban on foreigners adopting Indian children, alleging that many children who are being illegally taken away to foreign shores faced post-adoption abuse in absence of any inter-country adoption guidelines in place.