Pending cases of adoption orders decline under new rules: WCD ministry

The WCD ministry said adoption orders have been issued in 361 cases after the rules were amended to empower district magistrates to issue adoption orders.

NEW DELHI: A total of 589 children have been adopted after the notification of the new adoption regulations in September that empower district magistrates (DMs) to issue the adoption order, the union ministry of women and child development (WCD) said on Tuesday.

Under the Adoption Regulations 2022 issued on September 23, DMs and additional DMs were given the power to issue adoption orders under Section 61.

“A number of adoption orders have been issued by DMs all over the country during the last two months soon after notification of the Adoption Regulations in the month of September 2022. On the date of notification, 905 adoption orders were pending with the courts. As of date, the pendency has come down to 644. In 361 cases, adoption orders have been issued. The first adoption order was issued by DM, Akola, Maharashtra on 6 Oct 2022,” the ministry statement said.

The ministry said prospective adoptive parents (PaPs) can now opt for their home states or region under the new norms.

“This has been mandated to ensure that the child and the family adjust well with each other, belonging to the same socio-cultural milieu. The module became operational with effect from 10.11.2022 and since then 1,804 RIs, 11 NRIs, 8 OCI, 28 foreigners and 1 case under Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act (HAMA) have been registered on the new module,” the ministry said.

In order to promote in-country adoptions, a new provision has been added that enables children who could not find families within their stipulated referral cycles to be offered to RI, NRI, and OCI PAPs, irrespective of their seniority. “This step has been immensely welcomed by PAPs. The first referral under the provision was run on 14.11.22 and so far 42 children have been reserved. These children would have otherwise been referred to foreign PAPs,” the ministry said.