Parliamentary panel rejects plan for inter-country adoption of orphans

NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary panel has shot down a proposal for inter-country adoption of orphans, asserting that such an option may be resorted to only when there is a problem finding suitable prospective adoptive parents within the country.

Strongly objecting to the proposal of a legislation introduced in Parliament last year as "unacceptable", it said all efforts should be made to give a child to an Indian parent.

"The provision 60(1) that allows the child for inter- country adoption after one month is unacceptable. Inter- country adoption may be resorted to only in cases where there is a problem in finding suitable prospective adoptive parents due to special need of the child," the Parliamentary Standing Committee on HRD said.

It made its recommendation following exhaustive deliberation with stakeholders on the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill 2014 tabled in Parliament.

The comprehensive bill to tackle increasing crimes committed by youngsters aged between 16-18 years like the Delhi gang-rape case and to ensure proper care and protection of needy children was introduced in Lok Sabha last August.

The committee said that in the event an adopting agency cannot find an Indian parent on their wait list roster, there should be a mechanism to intimate other adoption agencies about the availability of a child in their adoptive centres.

Moreover, the inter-country adoption should be made only by ensuring that it is used "appropriately" through proper regulation and importantly through the ratification of the Hague convention, it underlined.

The convention establishes international standards of practices for inter-country adoptions.

The committee also strongly objected to a clause that declares an orphan legally free for adoption if he or she could not be placed with an Indian prospective adoptive parents or NRI despite joint efforts of specialised adoption agency and state agencies within 30 days.

Noting that adherence to the 30-day period is like an "enabling process", it said the clause should be reviewed.

"The committee would also like to point out that the 30 days period as provided in the Bill contradicts the period of two months provided for the courts to finalise adoption under a proposed section in the Bill," it said.