Adoption through DMs: Centre seeks feedback on Juvenile Justice Act amendments

NEW DELHI: Three months after the Rajya Sabha passed a bill proposing amendments in the Juvenile Justice Act to allow district magistrates instead of civil or family courts to approve adoptions, the Centre has sought public feedback on the bill.

A key provision in the bill is also to grant registration to a shelter home after the DM’s recommendation.

In a public notice, the Union women and child development ministry has now said that the stakeholders can send their suggestions for the amendments to Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) model rules, 2016 by November 11.

The suggested clauses include authorising DMs and ADMs to issue adoption orders under Section 61 of the JJ Act, in order to ensure speedy disposal of cases and enhance accountability, while proposing to empower them to implement the Act for the benefit of children in distressed conditions.

As per the amended provisions of the Act, any child care institution will be registered after considering the recommendation of the DM who will independently evaluate the functioning of district child protection units, child welfare committees, juvenile justice boards, specialised juvenile police units and shelter homes.

Sources in the WCD ministry said that with high pendency high in civil and family courts, it is not easy to get a date for hearing which often leads to adoption pleas being pushed to the backburner.

The public notice came days after a group of 250 prospective adoptive parents and adoptive parents wrote to WCD minister Smriti Irani, seeking reforms in the adoption norms so that the process becomes faster and transparent.

The parents who reached out to the ministry through an advocacy group, Adoption Action Group, included resident Indians and NRIs.

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