SC Stays Bombay High Court’s Order Increasing the Adoption Fee

The Supreme Court bench of Justices N.V.Ramana and Amitava Roy, on September 15, stayed the orders of the Bombay High Court passed in November 2016, substantially increasing the legal and composite fees payable by the Indian and foreign adoptive parents to the adoption agencies at the time of adoption of a minor child.The Bombay High Court orders were passed by Justice G.S.Patel, while. The Supreme Court bench of Justices N.V.Ramana and Amitava Roy, on September 15, stayed the orders of the Bombay High Court passed in November 2016, substantially increasing the legal and composite fees payable by the Indian and foreign adoptive parents to the adoption agencies at the time of adoption of a minor child. The Bombay High Court orders were passed by Justice G.S.Patel, while allowing the adoption of an Indian child by adoptive parents from Malta. The High Court also proposed that if a child has been with the adoption agency for a period of more than 15 months from the date of his entry into the adoption agency, the adoption institution will be at liberty to request the adoptive parents to make a contribution to it for the additional costs incurred for the period beyond 15 months on actuals and on presentation of a reasonable per diem rate for the maintenance and upkeep of the minor.