Stop Illegal Adoption Of Children Orphaned By COVID; Public Advertisements Unlawful : Supreme Court

Expressing concerns about the illegal adoption of children orphaned by COVID-19, the Supreme Court has directed State Governments and Union Territories to act against NGOs which are indulging in illegal adoption. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the National Council for the Protection of Child Rights, submitted before the court that certain unscrupulous organizations and individuals are indulging in illegal adoptions and are publishing public Advocate Shobha Gupta filed an application in the suo moto case on behalf of an organization 'We the Women of India' bringing to the Court's notice public "We share the concern of the learned Additional Solicitor General and Ms. Shobha Gupta about the illegal adoption of affected children", the bench observed. "Section 108 of the JJ Act, 2015 provides that the Central Government and the State Governments/Union Territories should take measures to ensure that the provisions of the JJ Act, 2015 are given wide publicity through media including Television, Radio and print media at regular intervals so as to make the general public, children and their parents or guardians aware of such provisions. The State Governments/Union Territories are directed to give wide publicity not only to the provisions of the JJAct, 2015 but also to the several schemes that have been announced by the Central Government and the State Governments/Union Territories benefiting the children who have become orphans and children in need of care and protection".