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Calcutta HC ruled a child neither orphaned nor abandoned is not in need of care and protection under Sec 2(14) JJ Act, directing CWC to restore custody to adoptive parents by 18 Sept 2026 at 4:00pm and to submit quarterly welfare reports from Dec 2026.
Calcutta HC set aside the CWC’s finding that the newborn was abandoned and the parents incapacitated, ruling the committee ignored the procedural safeguards of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. The judgment obliges all custody and adoption orders to meet JJ Act due-process, protecting biological parents.
Bombay High Court reinforces that adoption under the Juvenile Justice Act requires a child to be declared legally free for adoption and a favorable home study report. The ruling sets a precedent for courts to scrutinize prospective adoptive parents' suitability, ensuring the child's best interests are prioritized over procedural formalities.
Bombay High Court affirms that pending adoption matters under the Juvenile Justice Act can be decided by a single judge even if the 2021 amendment is under challenge, ensuring continuity in child welfare proceedings. The ruling sets a precedent for uninterrupted adjudication of adoption cases despite legislative disputes.
The Karnataka High Court ruled that illegitimate children are entitled to a 1/6th share each in their father's half of joint family property, while an adoptive mother is entitled to a 1/7th share of her son's portion. This decision clarifies the inheritance rights under the Hindu Succession Act, impacting succession disputes in joint family properties.
The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that under Meo customary law, a widow’s adoption of her daughter’s son is valid even without the consent of her husband’s collaterals. The court held that a registered adoption deed and conduct suffice to extinguish reversionary rights, making lineage and formalities directory rather than mandatory.